121 



li 




; 



Ibistorical Hbbress 



Deliv>ere^ b^ Die^ricb Millers, ot IDaiick, 
3unc 13, 1894, at tbe 



Centennial Celebration 



®f tbc iS)fficial ©roauisation of tbe JLomx ot 
IRonuUus, m. jJ). 




F 



\ 



GENEVA, N. Y., 
COURIER JOB DEPARTMENT, 

,894. 



Historical Address delivered by Diedrich Willers, of Varick, at the Centennial 
Celebration of the Official Organization of the Town of Romulus, N. Y. 



Mr. President, Ladies and Ge^itlemen : 

It is characteristic of the American people to pause at inter- 
vals in the progress of time, and review the events of the past. 

A little more than a year ago, (May ist, 1893), there opened 
in the city of Chicago, Illinois, a grand Exposition or World's fair, 
in commemoration of the four hundredth anniversary of the dis- 
covery of America by Christopher Columbus. 

The Columbian fair was visited and patronized during a pe- 
iod of six months, not alone by the American people, but by rep- 
esentatives as well, of nearly all the civilized and enlightened 
.ations of the world, and even some from half civilized and bar- 
•arous countries — all vied with each other, in bestowing honors 
..pon the great discoverer — who, while living, had not always 
eceived his meiited reward and due recognition from the sover- 
igns under whose auspices he served. 

An eminent English historian, speaking of the commemora- 

lon of a prominent event, occuring centuries ago, remarked : 

' That a people which take no pride in the noble achievements of 

heir ancestors, will never achieve anything worthy to be remem- 

oered with pride by their descendants. ' ' 

It has been well said — that "it is the province of history, to 
rescue virtuous deeds from the oblivion, to which a want of 
records would consign them. " 

The people of the present town of Romulus, and of the town 
of Varick, the youngest child of old Romulus, have to-day assem- 
bled, to commemorate an important historical epoch in the history 
of the town— which one hundred years ago was organized by act 
of the legislature of this State, at the same time, when the county 
of Onondaga was formed — the centennial of which was last week 
fittingly observed in the city of Syracuse. 

In my remarks, I will in the main, include what I have to 
say of Varick, with the town of Romulus. 

It is not my purpose in reviewing the past, to attempt to 
produce the unwritten history of the period prior to occupation by 
the white man. 



CKNTENNIAL OF ROMULUB. 



At the time of General John SuUivan's campaign against the 
Indians in New York, during the Revolutionary conflict, the terri- 
tory between Cayuga and Seneca lakes was inhabited chiefly by 
the Cayuga Tribe of Indians — the line of division between the 
Cayugas and Senecas, being as believed, the east shore of Seneca 
lake and northward from the lake to Ontario lake, following sub- 
stantially the locality of the new Pre-emption line. 

These two tribes, with the Mohawks, the Oneidas, the Onon- 
dagas and Tuscaroras, formed the confederacy known as the Six 
Nations or Iroquois Indians — of which it has been said — that their 
organization and form of government, have been the wonder and 
admiration of scholars and statesmen of all nations. 

It is an interesting and creditable fact, and worthy of notice, 
that the earliest white visitors in this locality, were prompted in 
making their visitations, not by hope of gain, but to christianize 
and ameliorate the condition of the Red man of the forest. I re- 
fer to the Jesuit missionaries who visited the Cayuga Indians as 
early as 1656, and established a mission near Savannah (now in 
Wayne county) in the territory of old Romulus, about 1670. 

The Moravian missionaries, Cammerhoff and Zeisberger, in 
June, 1750, also visited the Cayugas and passed through our terri- 
tory in going westward to meet the Senecas, on a mission of peace 
and bearing the gospel message to them. 

Rev. Samuel Kirkland, the self-denying missionary to the In- 
dians, who visited Geneva in 1765, and resided there -with the 
Senecas more than a year, also officiated during that period within 
our bounds. 

During the dark days of Indian warfare in the Wyoming Val- 
ley, Pa., preceding the Sullivan expedition, L,uke Swetland was 
captured by the Indians, August 24th, 1778, and taken in captiv- 
ity to the Indian village of Kendaia, in the bounds of the town of 
Romulus, where he remained until released by General John 
SuUivan's army, September 5th, 1779. His interesting Narrative 
of his captivity and residence of one year and two days at Kendaia, 
published a number of years ago, forms an entertaing chapter in 
the history of Romulus. 

In this Narrative, Mr. Swetland alludes to the fact that late 
in the fall of 1778, he s6wed one quart of wheat— the first wheat 



CENTENNIAL OF ROMULUS. 



doubtless sowed by a white man in this county. - The spirit of 
resio-nationtohisfate, andthe trust in Divine protection which 
pervades his narration, as also the mention made of days specially 
sH apart by him for private meditation and prayer, are indeed very 
pathetic Mr. Swetland returned with the army to Pennsylvama, 
where he died at Wyoming Village, January 30, 1S23, aged 93 

years. 

The army of General Sulh van upon its march northwest to 

th- Gen-see river, reached our town, on Sunday, September 5th, 
1799 A halt of one day was made at Kendaia village, situated 
one-half mile east from Seneca lake, about two miles south of the 
present railway station and modern village called Kendaia, upon 
lands now owned by Edward Van Vleet, upon Mihtary Lot, 
number seventy-nine, called also by the army, Appletown. The 
villao-e at that time, consisted of twenty or more houses of hewn 
loo-s"with roofs thatched with the bark of trees, and some of the 
hocuses were painted. Kendaia was evidently an old and import- 
ant town, as the superior style and condition ofits houses indicated, 
and here,' too, were found tombs of Indian warriors. At this 
village, the army found an apple orchard of about sixty trees, with 
peach trees and other fruit. 

When the army marched from Kendaia on the following day, 
(September 6th), the village was left in ashes. A march of only 
three miles northward was made that day, to a ravine sometimes 
called Indian Hollow, at or near the present Varick line. 
Leaving this camp early on the morning of September 7th, a 
march of eight miles northward, along or near the lake shore, to 
the outlet of Seneca lake, was made, and Kanadesaga (Geneva) 
being reached, the army again halted. 

On the return of the army from the Genesee river, the main 
army returned through the territory of Romulus, September 20th, 
2ist and 22d, over the same route as taken in the outward march, 
encamping on the night of September 21st, two miles south of 
Appletown. 

While the main army was at Geneva, several detachments 
were sent out to destroy Indian viUages-Skoiyase having already 
been destroved September Sth. One of these detachments under 



CENTENNIAL OF ROMULUS. 



command of Colonel Henry Dearborn, marched southward upon 
the west side of Cayuga lake, starting on September 21st, and on 
September 22d, 1779, destroyed the Indian village Swah-ya- 
wa-nah, on Military Lot number 71, (on the farm now owned by 
Edward R. Dean), in Romulus. This detachment encamped on the 
nights of September 21st and 22d, in the territory of Romulus and 
rejoined the main army near Newtown, (now Elmira), September 
26th. All the journals of the Sullivan expedition, speak in the 
strongest possible terms, of the rich fields of corn, the abundance 
of fruit trees, melons, and vegetables, which were found and either 
used or destroyed, as a punishment for the barbarities inflicted 
upon the white settlements by the Indians. 

A number of the early settlers of Romulus, suffered Indian 
captivity, during or after the Revolutionary war, among whom 
may be mentioned Joseph Wyckoff and Kezia Force, the lady 
who afterward became his wife ; also Andrew McKnight and Mrs. 
Mary Swarthout, wife of John Swarthout. 

It is not, however, necessary to follow further, the army of 
General Sullivan, which so severely punished the Indians,— 
the management of which campaign was accorded the approval of 
General George Washington and the Continental Congress. 

The war of the Revolution terminated in 1783, and the sol- 
diers of the army returning to their homes— some of them, who 
had accompanied General Sullivan, with pleasant recollections of 
the picturesque lakes and fertile soil of western New York. 

Soon after the close of the war, the State of New York, by 
treaties with the Onondaga and Cayuga Indian tribes, acquired 
title in 1788 and 1789, (February 25th) to a large area of land 
lying east of Seneca lake and extending north to Lake Ontario, 
which was laid out into 28 townships of 100 lots of 600 acres 
each— known as the "Military townships," which were set apart 
as bounty lands to New York soldiers of the Revolutionary war, 
to fulfill promises made to them for their patriotic services. After 
many delays, the military townships were surveyed in 1790, under 
direction of Surveyor General Simeon De Witt, who became a 
resident of Ithaca afterwards— the township of Romulus, (No. 1 1 ) 
having been surveyed, by Benjamin Dey and others— and patents 



CENTENNIAL OF ROMULUS. 



were issued by the State, to soldiers, for the same, in July, 1790. 

Man)' of the bra\'e soldiers had, however, become wearied 
with long waiting for action by the State, and had sold or trans- 
ferred their titles, for a mere song, so to speak, and much con- 
fusion in titles afterwards occurring, the same were passed upon 
and settled by a State commission, appointed under Chapter 51, 
Laws of 1797, known as the " Onondaga Commissioners. " Com- 
paratively few of the old soldiers became actual .settlers upon the 
Military tract, which was on March 5th, 1794, organized as the 
county of Onondaga, (by Chap. 18, laws of that year) with Rom- 
ulus, Ovid and Uly.s.ses, (all afterwards towns of Seneca county) 
among the towais thereof. 

The names of the Military to wn.ships given them by the State 
Commissioners of the L,and Office, July 3, 1790, are chiefly drawn 
from Grecian and Roman history, and our town of Romulus, bears 
the name of the founder of ancient Rome, of whom we are in- 
formed ])y legend, that with his brother, he was in early childhood, 
for a time, nourished by a mother wolf.* 

The Military town.ship of Romulus, as mapped, contained 100 
lots of 600 acres each, beginning at the northeast corner of Seneca 
lake and bounded north by Seneca river, west by the county line 
on the west shore of Seneca lake, south by Ovid, and east by the 
county line in Cayuga lake and the West Cayuga Reservation; o[ 
which Military lots, a part— Nos. 0, 7, 8 and q, are now in the 
town of Seneca Kails — lots i to 5 and 10 to 42, in the town of 
Fayette — lots 43 to 63 and the north part of lot 69, in the town o^ 
\'arick, and the rest of the lots, from 64 to 100, including the 
south part of Lot 6g, in the town of Romulus. 

The chain of settlement of this locality by civil jurisdiction 
westward from Albany county, being by erection of new counties, 
first Montgomery (1772), then Herkimer (F'eb. 16, 1791), then 
Onondaga, then Cayuga, and at last Seneca count}^, March 24th, 
1804. The town of Romulus comes by succession from the old 
town of Whitestown, once embracing the greater part of central 



* A photograph of statuary in the capitol of ancient Rome, rcjjrcscnt- 
iiig the wolf suckhng Romulus and Rcnuis, hung upon tlic platform on 
the day of the centennial celebration. 



CENTENNIAL OF ROMULU.S. 



and western New York and the town of Peru, incorporated in 
1792, and abolished in 1794, when Onondaga county was erected. 

When the town of Romulus was incorporated b}- the Legis- 
lature in 1794, its boundaries were described b}' the Onondaga 
county act; as follows; " All that part of said count}', comprehend- 
ing the Toivnships of Romulus, Junius and Galen, together with 
the lands lying west of the townships of Hannibal and Cato, north 
of the said township of Galen and south of Lake Ontario, as also 
all that part of the lands reserved to the Cayuga nation of Indians, 
l}ing on the west side of Cayuga lake — shall be and is erected into 
a loioi by the name of Romulus." 

The area of the toiuji of Romulus it will be seen, compristvl 
the three Military townships of Romulus, Junius and Galen of 
60,000 acres of land each, a considerable portion of the Military 
township of Sterling, the Williamson Compensation Patent, etc., 
comprehended within the territory lying north of Galen township 
and between the same and lake Ontario, about 80,000 acres— and 
also the West Cayuga Indian Reservation now in Varick, Fayette 
and Seneca Falls, laid out into 84 lots aggregating 19,566 acres, 
which by treaty with the Cayugas at Cayuga Ferry, July 27th, 
1795, became the property of the State, .and the Canoga and 
Skoiyase Reservations of 600 acres each. The total area of Rom- 
ulus from March 5th, 1794, to March 14th, 1800 — when the town 
of Fayette (Washington) was erected — covered fully 280,000 acres, 
of which 140,000 acres are now in vSeneca county, and the other 
one half in Wayne county — a stretch of magnificent countr}' with 
rich and fertile soil, extending at least forty-five miles from Ovid 
at the south to Lake Ontario at the north, with a width of from 
ten to fifteen miles. The west boundary, from Seneca lake north- 
ward to Ontario lake, followed the new Pre-emption line. The 
area of the original Romulus, as here given, does not include an>- 
part of the waters of Lake Ontario. The north bounds of old 
Romulus were the north bounds of this State, formed by the line 
between Canada and the United States. 

The original territory includes seven townsof Seneca count}' — 
Romulus, Varick, Fayette, Junius, Waterloo, Seneca Falls and 
Tyre — and the towns of Galen, Savannah, Wolcott, Butler, Rose 



CENTENNIAL OF ROMULUS. 



and Huron in Wayne county. This large area, comprising a tract 
of land nearly, one-half as large as one of the small States of the 
Union, now has a population of 36,400 of whom 20,700 reside in 
Seneca county, including fully three-fourths of the population of 
this count}-. (See abstract of patents in Appendix A). 

It is sad to think, that the once powerful Cayuga tribe of In- 
dians, does not to-day own a foot of the soil of this State— while 
only the Onondaga, Oneida and Tuscarora tribes of the Six Na- 
tions still hold small reservations of land in this State, under their 
own names. The Senecas, once the most populous and warlike of 
the tribes of the Six Nations, now live, indeed, upon State reser- 
vations, which however.no longer bear their name. 

In the legislative records of this State,, may be found a peti- 
tion for relief, from some of the early pioneer settlers l)etween 
Cayuga and Seneca lakes, in which they set forth, that they made 
settlements upon the Mihtary Tract, then unallotted, in the year 
1788, six years before the organization of the town of Romulus. 
(See copy of Petition, in Appendix). 

The names of David Wisner, Anthony, John and Nathaniel 
Swarthout and David Depue, are included in the petition, and 
they may undoubtedly be regarded as the earliest settlers, within 
the territory of the present town of Romulus. The Swarthouts 
located on Military I^ot 94, David Wisner on I^ot 95, and David 
Depue near the center of the town. 

The names of James Cooley and James King, also appear in 
the Petition, but their places of location cannot be ascertained, and 
it may possi1)ly have been in the Varick part of the town. 

The earliest permanent settlements were made along the 
west shore of the town, along or near Seneca Lake, with a few 
settlements along Cayuga lake, on Military Lots 71 and 7S. 

In 1789 (the year in which the machinery of the government 
of the United States under its Constitution, was set in motion, and 
George Washington was inaugurated as the finst President) and 
from year to year, up to the official organization of the town in 
1794, there were gradual additions made to the pioneer settlers, 
from Pennsylvania and New Jersey, Orange and other eastern 
counties of this State, Long Island, .S:c. Among the settlers dur- 



CENTENNIAL OF ROMULUS. 



ing this period, may be mentioned Abraham Brown, John Flem- 
ing, James Finch, James Alexander, Alia McMath, Stephen Mil- 
ler. Benjamin Sntton, James McKnight, WiUiam Seely, Benajah 
Boardman, William Winter, Timothy Cone and Captain Andrew 
Smith, some of whom have no descendants now left in the town. 

Early in the year of organization, 1794, came John Sayre and 
Haynes Bartlett. The first named, settled on I^ot 72 and the 
latter located a farm on Lot 65 near Seneca lake, which has been 
in possession of his descendants to this date, and his grandson, our 
presiding officer to-day, now lives upon the spot where his grand- 
father first located. In the interval from 1794 to 1800, large ac- 
cessions were made to the population of the town, of whom a few 
pioneers will be named: 

Isaac Johnson, Joseph Wyckoff, Klijali and Ephraim Kinne, 
Joseph Hunt, Thomas Blain, Jonas Seely, Joshua Hallock, Capt. 
Aliel Frisbie, Bastian Williams, E/.ekiel Hays, John Stone, Sam- 
uel Waldron, Asa Smith, with the Huff, Bainbridge, Bailey, 
F'inton, Denton, Yerkes, Shattuck and Brewster families. 

In that part of Romulus now^ in Varick, the permanent set- 
tlement began it is believed a year or two later. Benjamin Dey 
who surveyed the militar}' tract in 1790, became an owner of 
several lots therein and it is supposed, located upon Militar}- Eot 
49, in 1791 or 1792, having erected the first frame house in town, 
already in 1794. Other early settlers in the territory of Varick, 
prior to 1800, were James Cooley, Peter Basuni, Jacob Eowden, 
Frederick Kistler, John King, Jr., James King, James Barr, 
Joseph Haynes, Robert White, Andrew McKnight, James Ben- 
nett, John Williams, Samuel Falkinburg, with the Hood, Hatha- 
way, Beach, Karr and Woodruff families. 

Soon after the opening of the present century, population 
rapidly increased and more than doubled in the first decade. 
Among the early settlers after 1800 may be mentioned: Dr. Ethan 
Watson, Wm. W. Folwell, Mather Marvin, Ezra Miller, Ira Gid- 
dings, Jared Van Vleet, and the Baldridge, Bryant, Hayt, Sharp, 
Coe, Gurnee, Doremus, McEafferty, Warne, Van Duyn, Marsh, 
Terhuneand Burton families in Romulus and David Harris, William 
Blain, James Moinoe, vSkillman Dought},-, Joseph Darrow, Jeptha 



CENTENNIAL OF ROMULUS. 



Wade, David Edwards, and the I^emmon, Jacobus, Steele, Bur- 
roughs, Christopher, Roberts, Crane, King, Wilcox, Kinkley, 
Kmens, Allen, Abbott, vSauiple, Hunt, Ayres, I^udlum, Mann, Ani- 
))rose, and McDuffee families, in the Varick portion of the town. 

Beginning with the early j'ears of the century and indeed dur- 
ing the first quarter thereof, there were large additions made to the 
population of Romulus (chiefly in the part thereof in Varick) of 
families of Pennsylvania-Germans of the name Gambee, Frantz, 
Gamber, Kuney, lyeisenring, Fatzinger, Pontius, Goodman, Erns- 
berger. vStahl, Lautenschlager, Crobaugh, Blasser, Deal, Ritter, 
Acker, L,erch, Yost, Braun, Miller and Bergstre.sser, forming with 
their descendants, a valuable accession to the population. 

With such an admixture of sturdy settlers, as the vScotch, Irish 
and Germans of Pennsylvania, the Dutch of New Jerse}' and Eong 
Island, with a sprinkling of Yankees — the early population was 
made up — and the characteristics of their descendants have been 
maintained, as those of a frugal, industrious, hospitable, conserva- 
tive and reliable people — not subject to frequent fluctuations and 
changes, but cautious, stable and trustworthy in all the relations 
of life, public and private. 

I will not forget to give credit here, and honor due, to the 
many patriots of the Revolutionary war, who settled in Romulus 
— an important element in its make up, being constituted b}" this 
sturdy, patriotic people, many of whose descendants now inhabit 
the town. I regret, that I cannot present a full roster, containing 
their names 

Well may it be said of many of these Revolutionar}- fathers : 

" They left the ploughshare in the mould, 

Their flocks and herds without a fold, 

The sickle in the unshorn grain. 

The corn, half garnered on the plain. 

And mustered in their .simple dress. 

For wrongs to .seek a stern redress, 

To right those wrongs, come weal, come woe. 

To perish, or o'ercome the foe." 

It is difficult in the absence of any sytem of registration, to 
give with accuracy, a .satisfactory account of the early births, mar- 
riages and deaths iu Romulus, prior to say 1800. 



CENTENNIAL OP ROMULUS. 



It is belie\'ecl that the first female child of the pioneer settlers, 
born in town, was Elcy Fleming, daughter of John Fleming, born 
Jul}' 21, 1 791, and the first male child, George Alexander, a son 
of James, born March 10, in the same year. Other early births 
were those of Stephen R. Miller in 1792, Kliza Sutton and Samuel 
Fleming in 1793, Arazina Cone, in 1794, Kezia Bartlett, in 1795 
and Kliza Sayre in 1796. John Williams, born in 1796, it is be- 
lieved, was the first child born upon the West Cayuga Reserv^ation 
along Ca}'uga lake, in the town of Varick. A daughter and a son of 
Benajah Boardman, born in 1791 and 1793 respectively, in this 
county, should, it is believed, be added to this list. 

Information as to earl}' marriages, is very meagre. The lack 
of local clergy, perhaps led to postponments, and certainly did not 
tend to promote marriages. The first marriage of which we have 
knowledge, was that of Timothy Cone and Mary Gorham, daugh- 
ter of Jabez Gorham, in 1793. The marriage of Elizabeth Mc- 
Math to Mahlon Bainl^ridge, took place Dec. 22, 1796. Other 
early marriages were those of Elijah Kinne and Hester Wisner, in 
1797, Fvliphalet Shattuck and Jane Wiley and John Stone and 
Philinda Shattuck in 1798, and of Isaac Johnson and Mary Thurs- 
ton in 1799. 

Many early burials were made in private famil}- burial 
grounds, at an early day, and headstones in the old cemetery at 
Willard, formerly Eancaster, date back to 1795. There were also 
earl}^ interments at the Romulus Baptist church cemetery and in 
the cemetery at Romulus village, commencing early in this cen- 
tury. 

Tlie first death in town of which any trace has been obtained, 
is that of Jesse Fleming, April 29, 1795. Margaret McMath 
died in July of the same year, aged 2 1 years, and Archibald Mc- 
Math on September, 1796, aged 18 years. Joshua Reeves, a pio- 
neer settler died in 1797, and his will was proven by the surrogate 
of Onondaga County, before the erection of Cayuga count}-. 

Other deaths of prominent pioneer settlers in the earl}- history 
of the town, were tho.se of John Fleming in 1800, Wm. Seeley in 
1803, Alia McMath in 1804, James Alexander in 1805 and James 
McKnight in 1808. 



CENTENNIAL OF i«L)MULUS. 



The histor}^ of Romulus gives many instances of longevity, 
to which its salubrious air, from its location between the lakes, 
and the occupation and simple habits of its people, have doubtless 
contributed. 

A notaljle instance may Ije mentioned in the person of Mrs. 
Arazina Cone Fleming — a daughter of Timothy Cone and his wife 
Mary Gorham. vShe was born in Romulus, October 9, 1794, and 
her husband, Robert Fleming, an estimable citizen, to whom she 
was married Dec. 7, 1826,' died in the town, Feby. 3, 185S. 

It was my pleasure, a few days ago, to see and con\'erse with 
Mrs. Fleming, who resides at South Waterloo, in this county, 
upon the territory of the military township of Romulus. I found 
her bright and cheerful, with faculties very little impaired, and 
l)Ut for an accident which befell her some months ago, she would 
be present with us to-day, (as she is in spirit), to celebrate her 
own centennial, as well as that of the town of her Ijirth. Were 
she here, what a remarkable reminder of the e\'ents of a centur}- 
past, would she present to us ! In her absence, she sends cor- 
dial greetings, and salutations to the old town of Romulus.* All 
honor to the w-orthy centennarian ! 

The earliest families removing here from Pennsylvania, by 
primitive conveyance by water and on land, in the covered Penn- 
sylvania wagons, described by someone, as the "ark" or "ship of 
our inland commerce, " usually came to Newtown (Elmira) and 
thence to the head of Seneca or Cayuga lake, or came the entire 
way by wagon. 

Others coming from Long Island and the Eastern States, 
came by flat boats or bateaux, up the Hudson and Mohawk rivers, 
crossing by portage to Wood Creek and Oneida lake to Seneca 
river, and ascending the same to the foot of Cayuga or Seneca 
lake. 

It would, indeed be curious to know, what kind of craft was 
employed upon our lakes in those days, by our pioneers ; perhaps 
a primitive flat-boat or dug out canoe. 

* At this stage of the address the entire audience arose, in honor of 
Mrs. Fleming, and in recognition and acknowledgment of her sakitation. 



14 CENTHNNfe-L OF ROMULUS. 

The Documentary History of the State of New York, makes 
mention, however, that in 1792, a small boat and canoe were ply- 
ing at the foot of Seneca lake, and at Geneva, in 1796, a sailing 
sloop of forty tons burthen was launched upon the same lake, for 
freighting purposes. 

Elkanah Watson of Albany, N. Y., who was an early pur- 
chaser of soldier's titles to lands in the military township of Rom- 
ulus, visited here in September 1791, crossing Cayuga lake at the 
Cayuga ferry, in a boat, in which he came up the Mohawk river 
and by portage to Seneca river and up the same to Cayuga lake. 
He mentions that he sailed northward to Seneca river, and passed 
up the same to Geneva, having been assisted in passing Seneca 
Falls by Job Smith, then located there, at the carrying plac? 
around the Falls! 

Mr. Watson in the published journal of his tour, of 1791, in 
speaking of Cayuga lake, says "I was delighted on entering this 
charming lake. The shores on each side swell into gentle emi- 
nences ; but our view south was obstructed b}' a point of land pro- 
jecting from each shore." 

In his journal under date of Sep. 29, 1791, he speaks of his 
approach by Seneca river to Seneca lake, on the exening of that 
day, in this eloquent and prophetic language — "The sun was just 
setting as we entered the lake, which opened upon us like a new 
creation rising to our view in picturesque and romantic beauty. 
Our prospect extended south, over a bold sheet of water. The 
tops of the hills and trees were just tinged with the rays of the de- 
parting sun ; the evening was serene ; and ni}' mind involuntarily 
expanded, in anticipating the time when the borders of the lake 
will be stripped of nature's livery, and in its place will be rich en- 
closures, pleasant villas, numerous flocks, herds, etc., and it will 
be inhabited by a happy race of people, enjoying the rich fruits of 
their own labors and the luxury of sweet liberty and indepen- 
dence, approaching to a millennial state." 

Mr. Watson, adds in his journal, that on the day following 
— September 21, 1891, he re-embarked and traversed the lake 
obliquely to Appletown, (where his relatives the late Dr. Ethan 



CENTENNIAL OF ROMULUS. 1 5 

Watson, settled about fifteen years afterward) eleven miles by his 
water route from Geneva. Arriving at Appletown, he says, — 
"We pitched our tent on a fine tract of land. It contains exten- 
sive orchards of scattered old trees, the onl>' fruit trees of the 
country. Here Sullivan's conquering army wreaked its ven- 
geance, by destroying orchards, corn, wigwams, &c. Many of the 
trees are girdled; and marks of the -destroj'ing axe of the soldiers- 
are yet to be seen in every direction." Ur. Watson returned 
Sept. 23d, overland from Appletown, by an Indian path, to 
Cayuga ferry, a distance of seventeen miles. 

My audience will pardon me, if I give further extracts from 
Mr. Watson's journal of 1791, descriptive of the charming lakes 
which wash re.spectively, the east and west shores of our town. 

On Sept. 24th, he .started up Cayuga lake, by boat. He says : 
' ' We landed occasionally ; noticed distant smoke and here and 
there a log hut embosomed in the venerable forest. In the south- 
we.st quarter, the township of Ovid made its appearance. It rises 
beautifully from the shore toward the centre. The tops of the 
trees resemble waving fields of wheat, at a distance . The map of the 
world does not exhibit, in an}- other country, two lakes equal in 
magnitude to the Seneca and Cayuga, so .singularly and happily 
situated. What a fertile theme for poets, painters, philosophers and 
travelers, for the last two thousand years, had they been found 
in Italy! " 

Speaking of the country between the lakes, Mr. Watson 
adds : "In general, except toward the .south, the country lying 
between these beautiful lakes, rises gradually in .symmetry from 
the opposite shores toward the centre, producing a pleasing effect. 
Whenever it reaches a cultivated state, by the vigorous arm of 
freemen, it will become the 'Paradise of America.' Nothing can 
exceed the beauty of the country on the west shore of Cayuga 
lake, viewed at about five miles from its entrance, including both 
the Cayuga Reservation and the town of Ovid, which bear a strong 
resemblance to the west shore of Seneca lake. The tops of the 
trees were in beautiful uniformity, the symmetry being in no 
manner broken bv hills of great magnitude, except in one place, 



l6 CENTENNIAL OF ROMULUvS. 

where there is a sniall ckister of white pines, overlooking all the 
adjacent regions." 

Mr. Watson concludes his glowing description with this elo- 
quent peroration : "In a word, I almost deplored the short span 
of human life, that I cannot witness the happiness of those blessed 
generations of Americans, yet unl)orn, who are destined to inherit 
these delightful regions. " 

It will not detract from Mr. Watson's really poetic prose 
description, if we quote the lines of a poem addressed to Seneca 
lake, and applicable as well to Caj'uga : 

"On thy fair bosom, silver lake. 
The wild swan spreads his snowy sail. 

And round his l^reast the ripples break, 
As down he bears before the gale." 

"On thy fair bosom, waveless stream. 

The dipping paddle echoes far. 
And flashes in the moonlight gleam, 

And bright reflects the polar star. 

"The waves along the pebly shore, 

As blows the north wind, heave their foam. 

And curl around the dashing oar. 
As late the boatman hies him home. 

"How sweet, at set of sun to view. 

Thy golden mirror spreading wide. 
And .see the mist of mantling blue 

Float round the distant mountain's side ! 

"At midnight hour, as shines the moon, 

A .sheet of silver}^ spreads below. 
And swift .she cuts, at highest noon, 

lyight clouds, like wreaths of purest snow. 

"On thy fair bosom, silver lake, 

O ! I could ever sweep the oar. 
When early birds at morning wake, 

And evening tells us toil is o'er." 

— Pejxival. 

Mr. Watson again visited Seneca county in iSiS, as the guest 
of Colonel Wilhelmus Mynderse of Seneca Falls, and then already 
witnes.sed many marvelous changes — notably the opening of canal 



CENTENNIAL OF ROMUi.U.S. 



locks at that village, at the time of his visit. He died at Port 
Kent, N. Y., December 5th, 1842, aged 85 years. 

The Civil History of Romulus may be properly divided into 
three periods : 

1. From its organization in 1794 to its first division, March 

14, 1800. 

2. From March 1800 to February 6, 1830. 

3. From February 1830, to the present time. 

The act of 1794, erecting the town of Romulus, provided for 
holding the first town meeting at the house of Benajah Boardman, 
and we must suppose that it was accordingly held there. 

It has been well said, in substance, that the town meeting is 
deserving of especial consideration, since here are, or should be, 
practiced, pure Democratic— Republican methods. Here all meet 
on the same level. Here is free speech, without fear or favor. 
The people of the town meet once a year, to confer together for 
the general good, to discuss questions affecting taxation, the pub- 
lic schools, roads and bridges, the support of the poor and the 
election of town officers. 

The first town meeting held in town, April i, 1794, elected 
as its chief officer— Supervisor, Benajah Boardman, and WiUiam 
Winter as Town Clerk and the town records have, it is gratifying 
to say, been preserved complete to this date. At the election of 
1794, there were also elected three Assessors, three Highway 
Commissioners, two Overseers of poor, two constables, two pound 
keepers, two fence viewers, a Collector and five Overseers of 
Highways. 

Mr. Boardman was re-elected Supervisor in 1795, at a town 
meeting held at James McKnight's, (on the shore of Seneca I^ake, 
where C. C. Pontius now resides), and again in 1796. 

The following facts have been gathered as to his life : 

Benajah Boardman was born at Newington, to wni of Wethers- 
field, Connecticut, May 14, 1749- He was twice married and was 
the father of nine children. 



CEXTEXXIAI. OF ROMULUS. 



He removed to Xewtowu (Elmira; at an earh" da}', where 
one of his daughters was born, April 17, 17S9. Soon afterward he 
removed to Ovid or its vicinit}-, where he was interested in a 
primitive grist mill, one of the first in the count}', erected in 1793, 
on Lot Xurhber Two, Ovid, a little west of Ovid Village. One 
of his daughters, Luc}-, was there born, November 23, 1791, and 
a son, Benajah, his }'Oungest child, was also born there, October 
14, 1793- 

The exact localit}- of Mr. Boardman's first residence in Rom- 
ulus, can not now be positively ascertained, and it is possible, that 
his re.sidence, attributed to the town of Ovid, was all the time 
across the line in Romulus, or upon Lot Number 72, which he 
purchased as earl\- as September, 1790. He is known later on, to 
have resided at Boardmansburgh, near the center of the present 
town of Fayette and several 3-ears after the erection of that town, 
was elected its Supervisor, in 1803. He also served manj- jears 
as a magistrate and was alwajs an active and enterprising citizen. 
Late in life, he removed from the Burgh to a farm north of 
Canoga \'illage, and near Ca3-uga lake, in the town of Fajette, 
where he died after a brief illness from a prevailing disease known 
at the time as "The Epidemic" (and which at first baffled the skill 
of ph3-sicians) February- 27, 1813, aged sixty-four 3ears. He was 
buried in the cemeter3- at the Burgh, near where he had long re- 
sided, and it is to be regretted, that no head stone marks the place 
of his interment. 

At the town meeting held April 4, 1797, George Bailey was 
elected Supervisor, and he was re-elected as such in 1 79S and 
1799. In the latter year, the count3' of Ca3'uga was erected, 
(Chapter 26, Laws of 1799) and Romulus became a town of that 
count3'. The number of overseers of highwa3's had increased from 
five in 1794, to seventeen, in 1799, showing marked attention to 
the laying out and improvement of the public roads. 

The inimen.se territorial area of Romulus was divided b}- the 
Legislature, by Chapter 24, pa-ised March 14, 1800, and the 
town of Washington, (Fayette), was formed therefrom, which 
included all of the territor}- of Romulus north of the present town 



CENTENNIAL OF ROMULUS. I9 

of Varick. In 1803, Feb}-. 12, by Chapter Seven, Laws of that 
year, the town of Junius was erected, comprising all the original 
territory of Romulus, north of the present boundaries of Fa.vette. 

During the period from 1794 to 1799, but few important ques- 
tions were considered at the town meetings of Romulus. 

In April, 1798, it was Resolved that William Brewster, Dan- 
iel Sa3re and Benjamin Dey be a Committee to examine into the 
state of the taxes which have been collected in this town previous 
to town meeting," 

The town meeting of 1797, voted a bounty of three pounds 
(/ 3) for the scalp of each wolf killed in town, and in 1798 a 
bounty of twenty shillings was voted for tlie scalp of each bear so 
killed. The earh' settlers occasionally encountered wolves, 
panthers and bears, and thrilling adventures and narrow escapes 
are related, but the town records show no disbursements for wolf 
or bear scalps. 

The town meeting of 1799, voted in favor of dividing the 
town, and George Baile\-, Benjamin Dey and Benajah Boardman. 
were appointed a committee to determine where the line shall 
run. 

A special town meeting held Nov. 26, 1799, for the purpose 
of choosing three delegates to meet a convention of Delegates in 
the newly erected county of Cayuga, elected John Sayre, William 
Brewster, and George Bailey. The same town meeting took the 
unusual precaution, to elect James McKnight, Asa Smith, Walter 
Watrous and Phineas Tuthill, a committee to give instructions to 
such delegates to Cayuga. 

The town meeting from year to 3-ear, also adopted resolutions 
declaring swine to be free commoners. Pound Masters were 
elected, and marks to distinguish sheep and cattle when estray, 
were recorded in the Town Clerk's Office, as earh- as April, 1794. 

At the town meeting of 1799, tlie first trustees of the gospel 
and .school lot of the town were elected, to wit : Benjamin 
De\-, Daniel Sayre and Col. Wilhelmus Mynderse. The 
last named, resided at the falls of the Seneca River, where he died 
January 30, 1838, aged seventy years. 



CENTENNIAL OF ROMULUS. 



George Baile}' was again chosen supervisor of Romulus under 
its reduced territorial area, at the town meeting held in April iSoo, 
but died before the expiration of his term, and John vSaj-re was 
chosen to fill his vacancy Sept 2, 1800. 

It is a matter of regret, that upon dihgent inquiry, no facts 
can be ascertained, in the history of George Bailey, one of the 
earliest settlers at Lancaster, on Seneca Lake, for a time also called 
in his honor, Baileytown — and who it is i^elieved was a patriot 
soldier of the revolutionary war. 

During the period from 1800 to 1830, the town was served 
by six persons as supervisors, three of which number were chosen 
to serve during an aggregate term of 25 years, one for two years, 
and two for one year each. 

The long tenure and continuance of the public men of this 
town, in official position, and in the confidence of their constitu- 
ency, seems to have been thus early established. 

Judge John vSayre, born at Blooming Grove, Orange Co., 
N. Y., July 24, 1767, was at the town meeting in April, 1801, 
again chosen supervisor, and continued such, b)^ repeated elections 
to and including 180S. He again filled the same office in 1830, 

1 83 1 and 1832. 

He was elected the first Member of Assembly from vSeneca 
County (he being then also supervisor) in 1804, again in 1808, 
and later in life, was a third time chosen, in 1831. He served 
also as surrogate of the county from Feb. 181 1 to April 1813, and 
as county treasurer from Oct. 181 7 to Oct. 182 i. He was a mag- 
istrate and served as a.ssociate judge of Seneca County Courts, for 
many years, also as loan commissioner for this count}', and was 
the first post-master of Romulus postoffice, estabhshed Oct. 16, 
1802. He died — March 4, 1848, in the 8ist 3'ear of his age. 

In these days of lightning express railroad trains and fast 
mails, it is interesting to learn of a mail service during Judge 
Sayre's early post-master.ship, by carrier once a week from Geneva , 
on horseback, with the letters and. mail carried in a verj' small 
bag, or at times in the vest or coat pocket of the mail carrier, and 
until the primitive mail carrier gave wa}- to the stage line along 



CENTENNIAL OF ROMULUS. 



Seneca Lake, from Geneva to Judge Sayre's and Lancaster or 
Ovid, and thence southward. This post-office was not removed to 
Romulus village until a number of j-ears after its establishment, 
when the stage line from Geneva to Ithaca was also changed to 
an inland stage mail passing through Romulus village. 

During the incumbency of Judge Sayre as supervisor, the 
count}- of Seneca was erected March 29, 1804 from Cayuga 
county, by Chapter 31, Laws of 1804. 

The act erecting the county of Seneca, shrewdlv drawn, 
directed the county seat to be located in the town Ovid, not more 
than four miles south from the north line of Ovid, and not less 
than three miles from the Seneca or Cayuga Lake, thus effectually 
shutting off the village of Lancaster, in the southwest corner of 
the town of Romulus, then a larger and much more promising 
village than Ovid. 

This action of the Legislature gave much dissatisfaction in 
the town of Romulus, and at a special town meeting held June 9, 
1804, a ringing set of resolutions were adopted, breathing the 
spirit and fire of the many Revolutionary sires, who were present 
at the meeting, to wit : 

"'Resolved, That the people conceiving it will be oppressive 
to them to raise and collect a tax this year for the purpose of 
building a Court House and Goal, in our country — do therefore, 
direct and require our Supervisor, John Sayre, not to consent to 
or countenance the laying or levj'ing a tax for the above mentioned 
purpose. We, the said people, intend petitioning the Legislature 
at their next session for a repeal of the law appropriating money 
for the above said purpose, until we feel ourselves better able to 
support such a tax, at which time we will also petition the Legis- 
lature to pass a law for the above said purpose. Any other mode 
in procuring a law for raising of money in a county for local 
purposes, 7ce conceive to he repugnant to the rights of a free people. 

Resolved, That we, said people conceiving the place, appointed 
b\- law for the building of a Court House and Goal, as no ways 
convenient to the people of said county, do also intend petitioning 
the Legislature for redress in the premises, pnd do hereby request 



CENTENNIAL OF ROMULUS. 



of John Sayre, whom it appears is appointed by law one of the 
commissioners for fixing the spot whereon to erect said buildings, 
not to act in that capacit}-, until we luu'e applied for redress in the 
mode above prescribed." 

The Legislature, however, failed to grant the request of the 
people of Romulus, and in 1805, having amended the law, so as 
to require the location of the county buildings on Military L,ot 
Number Three, at Ovid Village, the question was then settled, by 
so locating there. The Board of Supervisors in October, 1804, 
however, voted to raise only one thousand dollars for a Court 
House and Jail, to which amount, additions were made by subse- 
quent Boards until the buildings were completed, in 1808. 

Jonas Seely, born July 23, 1776, — succeeded to the office of 
supervisor, by election in April, 1808, and held the same by re- 
peated re-elections to and including the year 18 1 4. He was again 
elected to the same office in 1822, 1826 and 1S33. In 1821, (with 
Hon. Robert S. Rose, of Fayette), he was chosen to represent 
Seneca Count}' as delegate in the Constitutional Convention held 
in this State, in that year, — and in 1823 and 1824 he was elected 
Member of Asseml)ly from this county. In 1832, he was also elect- 
ed a Presidential Elector of this State, and voted, in the Electoral 
College, for Andrew Jackson for President of the United States. 

Judge Seel}' ser\'ed as a magi.strate of Seneca County, and as 
an associate Judge for a number of years. He died Aug. 15, 
1 851, aged 75 years. 

William W. Folwell was lx)rn at vSouthampton, Bucks Co., 
Pa., January 28, ij6:<. Mr. Folwell graduated at Brown Uni- 
versit}'. Providence, Rhode Island, in 1792, and possessed a 
thorough classical education. He removed to Romulus in 1807, 
settled near the centre of the town, and was elected supervisor in 
April, 18 1 5, serving as such one year. He served as the president 
of the Ithaca and Geneva Turnpike company, incorporated in 
18 10, and was always an active and influential citizen. He died 
Oct. 13, 1858, aged 90 years. 

Samuel Blain, born at Warwick, Orange Co., N. Y., January 
17. i777> who was elected supervisor in April 18 16, was another 



CENTENNIAL OF KOMULUS. 23 



of the public men of Romulus who long enjoyed the favor of his 
fellow citizens. He was re-elected supervisor from year to 3'ear to 
and including 1821, also in 1827, 1828 and 1829. After the town 
of \"arick was taken from Romulus, he was chosen its supervisor 
in 1 83 1, 1832, and 1833. Mr. Blain served in the war of 181 2, 
and afterward arose to the rank of Colonel in the local militia. 
He served many years as a magistrate, and was elected Member of 
Assembly for this county, for the year 1830, and served in the 
I^egislature, which erected the town of Varick. He died January 
2, 1840, aged 63 years. 

Mather Marvin, was elected supervisor, at the town meeting 
of April, 1823, and again in 1S25. Dr. Marvin was born at Lyme, 
Connecticut, in 1786. He removed to Romulus a illage about 
1 8 10, where he established himself as a medical practitioner, and 
subsequentl}- also engaged there in mercantile business, afterward 
moving upon the Wade farm, on Military L,ot Number 59. He 
served for a time in the war of 181 2, and acted for a number of 
years as a magistrate and school inspector in Varick. In 1828, he 
was elected coUnty clerk, of Seneca County, and served a full term 
in that capacity. He removed to L,odi, Michigan, in 1833, and 
died there April 8, 1862, aged 76 years. 

Anthony Dey, elected supervisor in April, 1824, the oldest 
son of Dr. Philip Dey, was born near Paterson, New Jersey, 
February 6, 1781. He removed in 1806, to the town of Romulus, 
and there established a tannery on Militar}' Lot Number 49, (one 
mile west of Lemmon's Corners in Varick). Varick postoffice, 
established Nov. 19, 1S32, is now located near where the tannery 
stood, and locally known as Dey's Corners. Mr. Dey was elected 
the first supervisor of Varick in April, 1830, the town having 
received its name from Col. Richard Varick, a relative of the Dey 
family. In the fall of 1830, Mr. Dey removed to Seneca Falls, 
where he engaged in milling business. He died there Nov. 14, 
1 851, in the 70th year of his age. 

It is not my purpose to continue the biographical sketches of 
supervisors chosen during the third period, after the division and 
the erection of Varick, in 1830. The records of the two towns will 



24 CENTENNIAL OF ROMULUS. 

show, that the position of supervisor has ver}' generally been 
held by capable business men, although for shorter terms than in 
the olden times. (See full list of Super^'isors in Appendix C). 

Xor has the town of Romulus been wanting in prominent 
men, in other positions of trust and responsibilit\-. 

John D. Coe, born at Ramapo, Orange (now Rockland) 
county, June 12, 1790, settled on Mihtary Lot, No. 70, in Romu- 
lus, in 1816. He acted as magistrate and associate judge of the 
Seneca County courts for many j^ears. In the years 1834 and 
1835 he served Seneca count}- in the Assembly of this State. For 
a period of forty years, Judge Coe was the treasurer of the Seneca 
count}' agricultural society, and in the earlier 3ears of his residence, 
his ability and experience as a surve3or, was frequently called into 
practice, in the sub-divi.sion of lands. He died in November, 
1878, aged 88 ^-ears. 

Helim vSutton, son of one of the earh* settlers, was born in 
Romulus, January 19, 1803. He was elected to serve in tlie 
Assembly at Albany, for the year 1844. He also held the office of 
supervisor of his town in 1854, and died near the spot where he 
was born, November 18, 1S84, in the 82d year of his age. 

Mr. Sutton was weH known as a man of decided con\-ictions 
and firmness, and an instance of his decision of character is related . 
By the statutes of this State, it is declared that "Seneca county is 
lx)unded on the west, by the west shore of Seneca Lake." While 
acting as one of the board of count)- excise commissioners, about 

25 years before his death, with the late Jesse Abbott, of Varick, 
and another, a structure had been erected on the west side of Sen- 
eca Lake, near Dresden, outside of low- water mark and connected 
with the main land adjoining, in which building it was proposed 
to engage in business, by evading the excise laws. Mr. 
Sutton insisted that the jurisdiction of Seneca county and 
Romulus, extending to the west shore of Seneca lake at the point 
in question, brought this building and the business transacted 
therein, under the control of his board, and the owner and 
manager of the same, was compelled to conform to the laws of the 
State. 



CENTENNIAL OF. ROMULUS. 25 

William T. Johnson, a son of one of the pioneers of Romulus, 
was born in the town, Dec. 22, 1803. He served as magistrate 
for a number of 3-ears, and supervisor in the years 1843 ^"^ 1844. 
He was elected to serve as Member of Assembh* for this county, 
for the year 1864, and died in the town in which he was l)orn, 
Feb. 3, 1890, in the 87th 3-ear of his age. 

Peter J. VanVleet, born in this count)', March 2, 1815, and 
still living in the adjoining town of Ovid, served as supervisor of 
Romulus, in the )-ears 1846, 1S47, 1^5^, 1859 and i860. While 
residing in this town, he was also elected to ser\-e as Meml>er of 
A.ssembly for this county, for the year 1862. 

In later years, James M. Martin, son of the late Wm. Martin, 
of this town, born Oct. 20, 1^39, (now of Rochester), represented 
this count}' in the Assembly for the year 1S88. He also served as 
county treasurer of Seneca county by election, for a term of three 
years, 1S73 — 1876. 

William Halsey Kinne, l)orn in Romulus, April 22, 1846, a 
grandson of one of the early settlers of this town, repre.sented 
Seneca count}' in the Assembl}' for the year 1892. He has ser\'ed 
as chairman of the Committee on orator, poet and historian of the 
Romulus centennial, and his committee selected for all of those 
positions, at the celebration to-da\-, persons born in tlie territorx 
of the original town of Romulus. 

From that portion of Romulus now in \'arick, Orange W. 
Wilkinson, a native of Cayuga county, X. Y., born in 1806. was 
elected to serve in the Assembly of this State for the year 1840. 
Mr. Wilkinson served also as inspector of common schools and 
magi.strate of the town, for many 3'ear.s. He died July 24, 1890, 
aged 84 yeai-s. 

Robert R. Steele, was born in Xew Jersey, Dec. 12, 1805. He 
removed to this county, early in life, and engaged in mercantile 
pursuits, at Romulus village. He was elected supervisor of \'arick 
in 1842, 1^43 and 1850, and was appointed and ser\-ed as county 
treasurer of this county, from 1844 to 1847. He was elected 
Member of A.s.sembly for Seneca county for the years 1^52 and 
1870, and died in April 1881, aged 75 years. (See also Appen- 
dix F). 



26 CENTENNIA-L OF ROMULUS. 



The U)\vn of Romulus has also furnished incumbenls for oihcr 
proniincnl ])ul)Hc j^ositions. and in the active business walks ol 
life, holli within this countx' and in other counties and States. 

The office of vSherifl" of vSeneca county, has been held !)>■ resi- 
dents of the town, in the persons of Nathaniel X, Ha\l, Huii^h 
Chapman and C. H. Swarthout. 

Our presiding officer to-da,\-, Mr. !•). vSeel\ Barlletl, has 
recently closed a term of three years, in the important and resj^on- 
sible ])osition of County School Commissioner. 

The office of Count\- Clerk, has l)een held b\ Alvah Ciregory. 
of Lancaster, by appointment, from April iSi :;'to Feby. 1815, and 
has l)een filled by election for full terms !>> Dr. Mather Marvin of 
Romulus and \'arick, and b\- Daniel II. Hr\ant and Cabin 
Willers, l)olh of \'arick. 

Among a number of the sons of Romulus, who have else 
where ari.sen to prominence, either in ]niblic or business life, a few 
ma\- lie mentioned. 

Silas M. Burroughs, ])orn July, iMo, in this town, (a son ol 
David Burroughs, an earl}- resident here, and afterwards a resident 
of Orleans county, in this State), served that count>- as Member of 
Assembly in 11^37, l^S^SO, 1S51, and 1853, and Reprcsentatixe in the 
."^.Sth Congress of the United vStates, 1S5- to iSsij, and was re 
elected to the ^ith Congress, but died June 3, iSoo, during the 
first \ear ol' tliat term. 

Daxid Burroughs remoxed to the town of Shell>\, then 
(ienesee, now Orleans counl\ , in iMS, wjicre he died in iSjj, 
aged -15 \ears. In 1H21 he was elected to and served as a delegali- 
in tlie .State Constitutional Con\ention, for (ienesee couiU\ . 

Je])tha II. Wade, was born on Mililar\ Lot Xo 5.), in 
Romulus, I now in \'arick ), August 11. isii, a son of Jri)lha 
Wade, an earl_\' resident and a sur\e>()r. After an acli\e and 
diversified experience in l)usiness life, he became jiresident of thr 
Western I'nion Telegraph conipan>', a director of se\eral banks 
and railroad companies, and one of the Ibuniosl and most wiahh> 
citizens of Cleveland, Ohio, where he rdso was i)rominentl\ iden- 
tified with measures tending to elevate the schools and i)romole 



CENTENNIAL OF ROMULUS. 2"] 



the best interests of that city. He was not ambitions for pnblic 
Hfe, althongh at one time, his name was mentioned in connecliou 
with the nomination for Governor of Ohio. He died a few >ears 
ago. 

Peter A. Dey, son of Anthony Dey, a former supervisor of 
Romukis, and first supervisor of Varick, was born at Dey's 
Corner's near Seneca lake, January 27, 1825. He graduated at 
Hobart College, Geneva, N. Y., in i<S4^, just fifty years ago. and 
fitted himself for the profession of ci\'il engineering, in which he 
became eminent, and having located in the State of Iowa, he was 
appointed chief engineer of the Union Pacific railroad during, its 
construction. He was selected by the Legi.slature of Iowa, as one 
of the new Capitol commissioners and afterwards elected as a Rail- 
road commissioner of that vState, which position he now holds — 
having served his adopted State with zeal and fidelit}-. 

Reuben C. lyemmon, (son of Charles lyemmon, an early 
settler, who served as supervisor of \'arick in the years 1834, 
1835 and 1836, and as magistrate for many years) was l)orn on 
Military Lot Number 52, in that portion of Romulus, now in 
Varick, in May, 182^. Mr. Lemmon was educated to the legal 
profession, and removing to Toledo, Ohio, was elected Judge of 
the Court of Common Pleas for the fourth district of Ohio, a posi- 
tion (of extensive jurisdiction and powers), which he has held for 
three full terms, of five years each, and is now approaching the close 
of his fourth term. A few years ago. Judge Lemmon was elected 
and served as Grand Master of the Order of Free and Accepted 
'Masons of Ohio, and enjo)s in an eminent degree the confidence 
and esteem of his fellow citizens, by whom he has been thus 
repeatedly honored. 

James Van Vleet, son of Jared Van Meet, was born in Rom- 
ulus, in 1 819. Removing" to Michigan in early manhood, he was 
chosen county treasurer of Genesee county, and elected a Member 
of the Legislature of that State. He is still living, a respected res- 
ident of the city of Flint, Michigan. 

John W. McMath, a grandson of Alia, and son of Col. vSamu- 
el, and Mary Fleming McMath, was born in Romulus, June 3, 



CENTENNIAL OF ROMULUS. 



1824. He removed with his parents to Michigan in 1827, gradu- 
ated at the University of Michigan, in 1850, studied law and was 
admitted to the bar in 1852.. He has served in the position of 
prosecuting attorney and United States collector of customs at 
Mackinaw, and judge of probate, and city attorney of Bay City, 
Michigan. Judge McMath is still living in that cit}', and sends 
cordial greetings to the Romulus centennial. 

A record of the family of Col. Samuel McMath, shows that of 
his nine children, one became a lawyer. Judge John W.; and one 
a clerg}'man. Rev. Robert McMath ; the others, becoming re- 
spected citizens in their western homes. Four of the grand-sons 
of Col. McMath, still living, have been admitted to the bar, and 
are now engaged in successful law practice iti Western states. 

Robert E. McMath, son of Alia McMath, (the latter a grand- 
son of the early .settler. Alia McMath of Romulus), was born in 
Varick, April 28, 1833. He graduated at Wilhams College, 
Massachusetts, in 1857, ^^'^ locating at St. I^ouis, Missouri, chose 
civil engineering as a profession, in which he attained a prominent 
rank — serving upon the United States Coast Sur\'ey and the 
Government work of improving the Mississippi River. In April, 
1893, he was elected President of the Board of Public Improve- 
ments of the city of St. Louis, which position he now holds. 

Walter S. Gurnee, l)orn in Rockland county, N. Y., removed 
in his youth, with his widowed mother, (a sister of Judge John 
D. Coe), to the town of Romulus. In early manhood, he removed 
to Chicago, Illinois, and engaged there in active business pursuits. 
He was elected Mayor of Chicago, in March, 1851, and held that 
responsible position for a term of two years. He is still living at 
an advanced age, in the city of New York 

Many of the sons of Romulus and Varick have been educated 
to the learned professions. Had it been possible to present a list 
of all the lawyers, clergymen, physicians and teachers in the 
higher educational institutions, who were born in these towns 
since the first settlement, or have resided therein, including those 
deceased, it would have been indeed interesting, but data at hand 
is insufficient to make up the same. 



CENTENNIAL OF ROMULUS. 29 



The first permanently located physician in the town, was un- 
doubtedly Dr. Ethan Watson, at Plymouth in 1807, who after- 
wards, about 1820, removed to Romulus Village. Other early 
physicians were Dr. INIather Marvin, Dr. Philip Dey, and Dr. 
Tompkins C. Delevan. The first clergymen who located in this 
town, were the early pastors at the Baptist and Presbyterian 
churches. 

At the present time, fifteen attorneys at law, are known to be 
living, who were born in Romulus or Varick, headed by Judge R. 
C. Lemmon, of Ohio, and the venerable Edward B. Miller, now 
living among us. 

In a Hterary and educational career, the sons of those towns 
are well represented. Headed Ijy the names of President Wm. 
W. Folwell, of the State University, Minneapolis, Prof. Isaac. P. 
Roberts, of Cornell University, Ithaca, and Prof. Carlton M. 
Ritter, of State Normal School, Chico, Cahfornia, we have now 
the names of ten professors in colleges and high .schools, who 
were reared in our mid.st. 

Among the clergy, headed with the name of the vener- 
able Rev. Charles C. Carr, of Honseheads, (who has served 
54 years in the ministry), we lia\e now the names of sixteen for- 
mer residents of our locality. 

The medical profession, too, is well represented, by fourteen 
former residents, now living, the most aged of whom, is the emi- 
nent physician. Dr. Cornelius C. Wyckoff, of Buftalo, N. Y. 

1 will not forget, here to mention among the sons of Romulus 
who have risen to conspicuous positions— Col. James P. Sanford, 
now of Wheaton, lUinois. born Nov. 11, 1837, on the north part 
of the Barna Swarthout farm, on Lot 94, (now a part of the State 
Hospital propertv) in Romulus, whose eminence as a traveler and 
as an eloquent and entertaining lecturer, is known and recognized 
in all parts of the Union, and who is here, as Orator of the day, 
upon this occasion. His volume of ' ' Letters of Travel from dif- 
ferent Lands," was pubHshed in 1887. 

Nothing speaks better for the people of a community than to 
ha%e the reputation of being good patrons of churches and public 



Sp CENTENNIAL OF ROMULUS. 

schools. The pioneers of Romulus gave early attention to re- 
ligious observances and the building up of churches. It was not 
an unusual thing, for our early settlers to bring their families to 
church, in wagons or sleds drawn b\- oxen, while young people 
often came long distances on foot, carrying their only pair of Sun- 
day shoes, and putting on the .same, before entering the place of 
worship. 

The official organization of the Romulus Bai)tist church dates 
back to 1795, and will next year have reached a full century of 
organized exi.stence. This religious Society, the oldest in vSeneca 
county, had its first church edifice commenced in 1808, 
during the mini.stry of Rev. John Caton, a revolutionary 
]iatriot, who was met and recognized by General La Fay- 
ette, upon the occasion of his visit to this county, in June, 
i>^2;^. It has sent out a number of clergymen and men hon- 
ored in all the walks of life. Rev. Dr. Lewis Halsey in his 
History of the Seneca Baptist Association, has devoted an 
interesting chapter to the history of this church. 

The present official organization of the Romulus Presbyterian 
church, dates back to 1S02, and its first church was completed in 
1809, when Rev. Chas. Mosher was its pastor. As early as 1795, 
a number of Presbyterians of this locality, were visited by mis- 
sionaries and a partial organization was effected, which, however, 
was not C(jmpleted. The present capacious church was dedicated 
in 183S. The records of the church, contains the names of many 
of the pioneers and leading citizens of Romulus. It has sent out 
into the ministry, a number of its young men, and its member- 
ship is represented in many vStates of the union. It has been re- 
markable for long pastorates, that of Rev. Morris Barton, of twenty 
\'ears, and of the present incumbent, Rev. J. W. Jacks, already 
twenty-two years. 

At the village of Bear\town, on the line of Varick and P'ay- 
ette, an early religious society of Pennsylvania German people, 
many of whom were re.sidents of Romulus, was organized in 1809, 
although served by pastors occasionall}-, as earl}- as 1803. The 
first log church was completed soon after its organization, and the 



CENTENNIAL OF ROMULUS. 



services therein were then and for many years thereafter, held in 
the German language and a German day school was taught by 
Wm. Merkel and others, in connection therewith. There are still 
living, a number of persons who received German instruction at 
this School, and the early records of this Church, in the German 
language, ha\'e been carefully preserved. The present substan- 
tial stone structure of the Reformed church succeeded the log 
church, in 1824. One of the pastors of this church. Rev. Dr. 
Diedrich Willers, a resident of Varick, served this church from 
April, 1 82 1, to January 1882, a period of over sixty years. 
(See also appendix F). 

The official organization of the Methodist Episcopal church 
at McDuffeetown, bears date December 5, 1816, although services 
had been held in the neighborhood, in the schoolhouse and dwell- 
ings of members, as far back as 18 10. The first church edifice was 
completed in 1832 and the present church edifice in 1883. This 
church, has also sent into the ministry, several of its members. 

There are at the present time in the territory of Romulus and 
X'arick, in addition to the early churches named, one additional 
Methodist Episcopal church (at Bearytown), four Protestant Epis- 
copal churches, one Wesleyan Methodist, (Varick,) and one Roman 
Catholic church, all erected in the past fifty years. Sunday schools 
have been established in connection with the several churches, 
and at a number of school hou.ses. There are persons yet living, 
who remember hearing the zealous and somewhat eccentric Lor- 
enzo Dow preach, in a grove in this town, nearly seventy-five 
years ago. 

In the early histor\- of this State but little was accomplished 
in the way of organizing a uniform common school system until 
the year 181 2. Prior to that time, schools were principally select 
or private schools, supported by specific amount per scholar, per 
quarter, or by rate bill, in proportion to the number of days attend- 
ance of each scholar. As early as 1789, provision had been made by 
the Legislature, for setting apart one lot of boo acres of land, in 
each of the townships of the Military Tract, for the support of gos- 
pel and schools and one further lot of equal acreage in aid of liter- 
ature. The supervisors of the county of Onondaga, Sept. 28, 1 796, 



32 CENTENNIAL OF ROMULUS. 

set apart L,ot 50, Romulus, for gospel and schools and lot 55 for 
literature. Both of these lots are situated on vSeneca lake, ad- 
joining each other, in the present town of Varick, and some of the 
early settlements, were made on the same. The literature lot fell to 
Union College, Schenectady, and was subdivided by Hon. Joseph 
Annin and contracted to Frederick Kistler, Jacob lyowdon, and five 
others May 14, 1804, and deeded in i8og and 181 1. The gospel 
and school lot was surveyed and subdivided into four farms in 
1817, by John D. Coe, and deeded June 16, 1817, by Trustees of 
Gospel and School I^ot — -the annual income therefrom, having 
in previous years, been applied very generally, in aid of schools. 
The avails from the sale of this lot, were originally apportioned 
between Romulus and Fayette, but upon the organization of Var- 
ick the portion of the first named town was divided and $2,842,81 
of principal was allotted to Varick, the principal of the Romulus 
school fund, after such division, being $3 521.13. 

Information at hand as to early schools and teachers is meagre 
and unsatisfactory. In the early history of the town and prior to 
1800, very few school houses had been erected in the territorj- 
which now has twenty school houses — and private and select 
schools were frequently kept at the house of the teacher or of one 
of the patrons of the school. 

A History of Seneca count}-, published by Everts, Ensign and 
Everts, Philadelphia, Pa., 1876, is authority for the statement, 
that there was on the tenth da}^ of June, 1799, a school house 
standing, one mile northeast of Lancaster, probably in the Sut- 
ton neighborhood. In the same year, 1799, there was a school 
house standing, east of Mahlon Bainbridge's near the residence of 
Dr. N. W. Folwell. Other school houses erected at an early date, 
were a log school building at Romulus Village in 1806; and one 
on Lot seventy-eight near John Marsh's. In 18 10 there was 
a school house near Henry Miller's, North East of Hayt's Corners 
one at Beachtown, settlement near Dey's Landing; and one at 
McDuffeetowii. Others of early date, were the school houses in the 
McLaferty District, near the center of the present town of Romulus; 
also one at Lancaster; one near Anthony Dey's Tanner}'; and one a 
half mile east of Judge Benj. Lemmon's; with one near John 



CENTENNIAL OF ROMULUS. 33 



Gambee'sMill Pond, one and a half miles South East of Bearytown; 
and one near Clarktown. 

Spafford's Gazetteer, mentions ten school houses in Romulus 
in 181 2. In February, 1820, John D. Coe, Anthony Dey, and 
John Fleming, commissioners, filed with the Town Clerk, descrip- 
tions of seventeen school districts, and there were parts of several 
other joint school districts, the school houses of which were located 
in other towns. A part of Romulus was annexed to the Ovid 
Union School District in 1874, and there are now twenty school 
houses in the towns of Romulus and Varick. 

Prior to the year 1800, a select school was kept in the weaving 
shop of Haynes Bartlett, taught by John Bainbridge. Early 
schools were also taught at James McKnight's and John Sayre's 
residences. Dr. Ethan Watson and his wife, who settled at Apple- 
town in 1807, both taught school soon after their settlement. 
There were doubtless other early schools and school houses at 
which teachers were employed, of which no rehable information 
can now be secured. Early teachers, other than those already 
named, were Robert Selfredge, Ebenezer Brewster, Elijah Miller, 
Sylvester Tillotson, Ira Parker, Clinton Shattuck and R. Webster. 
Eater on, Wareham Barnes, Levi Hart, Samuel Jones, John A. 
Christopher, Joseph Burroughs, Aaron P. Roberts. Norman Eddy, 
Jonathan Ogden, Lewis Woodruff, Jacob P. Chamberlain, Aaron 
B. Bartlett and William Mann were well known teachers, and 
forty to sixty years ago, members of the Baldridge and Fleming 
families, James Facer, Leander Covert, John B. Robinson, Palmer 
McDuffee, WilHam Bainbridge, Augustus C.Miller, Amos P. Mil- 
ler, John R. Stone, W^m. H. Sutton, Henry C. Eisk, Darwin C. 
Smalley, Dr. Richard Dey, Loring G. King, Ralph P. Roberts 
and John Monroe, were engaged in teaching, some of whom are 
still living. At an early date, female teachers were but little 
employed, except to teach summer terms of schools. Among 
those who taught may be mentioned, Mrs. Ethan Watson, Mi.ss 
Czarina Young, Mary Sutton, Hannah Pratt, Catharine Folwell, 
Emehne Betts, Clarissa A. Ganibee, Catharine Gambee, Mary 
J. McKnight, and Mary J. Barnes. 

In passing, a tribute must also be bestowed, upon a faithful and 



34 CENTENNIAI. pF ROMUlvUS. 



thoroughly competent teacher, in the person of the late William 
Ross, who died April 6, 1893, in Fayette, aged ninety years, 
who had devoted about sixty -five jxars of his life to teaching, 
chiefly in the public schools of this county, including a number 
of terms in Romulus, a record which can probabl>' not be excelled 
in any other part of the State. 

Many of our public men, have in youth and early manhood 
taught in public schools, as an assistance in obtaining a profes- 
sional and business education, a few of whom maj^ be mentioned. 

Elijah Miller, (son of Captain Josiah Miller, a patriot officer 
of the revolutionary war), was born at Bedford, Westchester 
county, N. Y., April 11, 1772. In the spring of 1796, he came to 
the town of Romulus and located upon Mihtary Lot number nine- 
ty-one, (near Hayt's Corners). While residing there, he engaged 
in teaching school for a time and began reading law under Daniel 
Shepard of Aurora, on the opposite shore of Cayuga lyake. In 
March, 1799, he was commissioned a Justice of the Peace for the 
Town of Romulus, then in Cayuga county. In January 1800, 
having been admitted to the Bar, he married and located on the 
East side of Cayuga Lake, at Cayuga Village, then one of the 
county seats of Cayuga County, where he engaged in the practice 
of his profession, removing to Auburn in 1808. In 1813 he was 
appointed Clerk of Cayuga County, for a term of tv>'o years, and 
in 18 1 7, received the appointment of County Judge of that County, 
which position he held for six years In 1823, William H. Sew- 
ard, (afterwards Governor and United States Senator) then 
just commencing his legal career, united with Judge Miller in a 
law partnership, and a year later married his daughter. This law 
firm at once took a leading position and was employed in many of 
the most important cases tried in Central New York. Judge 
Miller died at Auburn in November, 1851, in the eightieth year 
of his age. Captain Josiah Miller, father of Judge Elijah Miller, 
removed early in this century, with his family, to the Lot located 
by his son in the town of Romulus, where he died in 181 7, aged 
68 years. One of his sons, Ezra Miller, served as a magistrate of 
Romulus for many years. 

Jacob P. Chamberlain, born in Worcester County, Massachu- 



CENTENNIAL OF ROMULUS. 35 

setts, August I St, 1802, became an early resident of this town, and 
engaged for a time in teaching in our pubhc schools. He was 
elected the first Town Clerk of Varick, upon the organization of 
that town in 1830, and was re-elected in the two succeeding 3-ears. 
He also served as School Inspector of that town. He afterwards 
removed to Seneca Falls, and engaged in farming, milling and 
manufacturing business. He was elected to serve this County in 
the State Legislature for the year 1859, and was chosen to the 
thirty-seventh Congress of the United States 1861-63, for the 
26th District. He died at Seneca Falls, Oct. 5, 1878. Frank 
Chamberlain, a son of Hon. Jacob P., born in Romulus, Dec. 4, 
1826, and now residing at Albany, N. Y., was in i860 elected 
Grand Commander of the State Commander}- of Knights Templar 
of the Masonic order, and was appointed April 27, 1865, by the 
Governor wdth the consent of the Senate, Commissary General 
of this State. Eugene T. Chamberlain, of Albany, son of General 
Frank, now holds the ofiQce of Commissioner of Navigation in the 
Treasury Department at Washington, D. C. 

Mention maybe made also in this connection, of Norman Kddy, 
a native of Cayuga County, N. Y., who taught for a time in the 
public schools of Romulus and Varick, about 65 years ago, and 
who afterwards graduated as a physician, practised medicine for a 
time, then read law, w^as admitted to the Bar, and became eminent 
as a lawyer. Removing to Indiana, he was elected to the State 
Senate, then to the 33d Congress of the United States, and in later 
years. Secretary of State of that State, which position he held at 
the time of his death, January 28, 1872. 

It is not ni}' purpose to comment at length upon the primitive 
log school houses, with their slab seats without backs, nor to 
speak of teachers of the olden time, wdien the system of "boarding 
around" of teachers prevailed and every patron was expected to 
contribute a supply of wood proportional to the number of scholars 
.sent. (See Appendix D.) 

The records of one of the old school districts, recentl}' ex- 
amined, shows that at the annual school meetings seventy years 
ago, the inhabitants were accustonied at each meeting, to adopt 



36 CENTENNIAL OF ROMULUS. 

a resolution, exempting poor persons having children to send to 
school, from the payment of a rate bill for teachers wages, and 
the same commendable spirit was doubtless ver}' generally shown 
throughout the town. 

While much has been accomplished in the improvement and 
elevation of public schools, .we should not forget the day of small 
things, nor fail to do justice to the time, when the three Rs (Read- 
ing, 'Riting and 'Rithmetic) were the leading branches of study, 
in our schools. Many of our best business men, enjoyed no other 
opportunities of education than those which these early schools 
provided. The old-time text books used in this locality, were 
Webster's and Cobb's SpeUing books; the Old and New English 
Readers, the American Preceptor and Hale's History of the United 
States, used as a reading book; Emerson's, Ostrander's or Daboll's 
Arithmetics, while writing was taught by the teacher, in' copy 
books made of foolscap paper. The use of Murray's orKirkham's 
Grammars, and Morse's, Goodrich's and Olney's Geographies, 
were higher accessories of a school course, not always reached by 
the pupils in our schools. Scholars when old enough to work, 
seldom had time to attend school in summer, leaving only a few 
months of winter schooling, which the older boys were not always 
privileged to enjoy. It is a matter of deep regret, that residents 
in the several school districts, have allowed district libraries 
to fall behind, and a revival of interest, is now in progress, in 
reference to the same. 

There is no large village in our territory, the town being a 
distinctively agricultural town, and no Institution for academic 
education exists therein. Many sons and daughters of Romulus, 
have, however, received a liberal education at the Ovid Academy, 
now a High School, with which a portion of this town has official 
relations. 

One of the most pleasing features of our centennial obser- 
vance this day, is the large representation of scholars from the 
public schools, forming a leading part in the procession. The 
occasion and the exercises of the day, may, and doubtless will, be 
long remembered by them. 



CENTENNIAL OF ROMULUS. 



37 



It is a pleasure to allude here to the organization of one of the 
earliest public library societies in this count}-, as the records of the 
county clerk show, to wit : 

"At a meeting held on the 12th instant, March, 1805, at the 
house of Asa Smith, innkeeper in Romulus, for the purpose of 
forming themselves into a corporation for establishing a public 
library, proceeded to order, when Mahlon Bainbridge was chosen 
chairman. By ballot then proceeded to elect five trustees to gov- 
ern library, when the following persons were elected, viz : An- 
drew Dunnett, Charles Gordon, Asa Smith, Mahlon Bainbridge, 
and Saniuel Howe. 

Resolved, further, that the name or title of this corporation 
shall be known as Seneca lyibrary Number One. It was further 
unanimously agreed and voted, that the same librar}- be kept in 
the village of Lancaster, in the town of Romulus." 

The martial .spirit of the revolutionary .sires who settled in our 
midst and their descendants, was kept alive through local militia 
organizations, (the io2d and i2Sth militia regiments,) and the 
town of Romulus was largely represented in the military ranks in 
the war of 1812. Col. Daniel vSayre, Col. vSamuel McMath, Col. 
vSamuel Blain and Col. Matthew D. Coe in earlier years, with Col. 
and Gen. Thomas J. Folwell and Col. and Gen. Augustus 
Decatur Ayres, in later years, commanded the militia of this and 
other towns. Company and regimental ' ' trainings ' ' of the militia 
were annually held, at IMcKnight's, Asa Smith's, David Depue's, 
Romulus village, lycrch's, Lemmon's or Bearytown, with oc- 
casiotially a ' ' general training ' ' which were events anxiousl}' 
looked forward to. At the present time, there are no military or- 
ganizations in town, although strongly represented in the ranks of 
the armj^ in the late civil war, 1861-65. 

The records of the town show activity in the earl}^ years of its 
existence, in the laying out of pubhc roads. Alreadj^ in June 
1795, a public road four rods wide, was laid out from the north 
bounds of Ovid, from Lancaster, along and near the Seneca lake 
shore to the Seneca outlet and to the east bounds of Ontario county. 
The description of this road as recorded, makes reference to an old 



38 CENTKNNIAI, OF ROMULUS 



road previously laid out by the Highway commissioners of the 
town of Peru, from James McKnight's north to the Ontario county 
line. The town of Peru was formed April lo, 1792, from the 
town of Whitestown, which latter town, at that time, covered all 
of Central New York, from its East line near Utica, extending 
westward to Seneca lake. It is to be regretted, that the records of 
the town of Peru, can not upon diligent inquiry be found, the 
town having been abolished, when Onondaga county was erected 
in March, 1794. 

Other public roads early laid out v\'ere from Appletown to 
David Depue's, also from Lancaster to Boardmansburg, and a road 
from David Depew's to the Hood Settlement on Lot Number 48, 
at Fayette line. The foad on the South line of the Cayuga Reser- 
vation, was laid out in the year 1805. The well known highway 
called the "Reservation road," the West line of the Cayuga Indian 
Reservation, leading across Varick to Seneca Falls, was recorded 
Dec. 17, 1K06, and was surveyed by Jeptha Wade. 

The Legislature of 1793, chapter 37, appointed John L. Har- 
denbergh, Moses DeWitt and John Patterson, commissioners for 
laying out certain public roads in the Military tract, one of which 
was to commence on the West side of Cayuga Lake, opposite a 
point mentioned (between Lots Numbers 56 an-d 67, Scipio), 
nearly three miles South of Aurora, and to run by as direct a 
route as the nature of the ground will admit of, to Seneca Lake, 
at or near the division line between Romulus and Ovid, (at Lan- 
caster). The Legislature made a small appropriation to pay the 
expense of making such public road, but whether it was ever laid 
out, cannot be ascertained, and certainly no such road was ever 
maintained, as a State road. 

In the laying out of town roads, and the surveying and divis- 
ion of farms, there was much occasion to employ the service of a 
competent surveyor, as is usually the case in a newly settled 
country. Among the well known early surveyors of Romulus, 
may be mentioned, Benjamin Dey, William Seely, Jeptlia Wade, 
David Harris, John D. Coe, and Orange Wilkinson, and in later 
years, Gen. A. D. Ayres, 



CENTENNIAL OF ROMUEX-.S 39 



Already before the commencement of the present ceiitury, in 
1798, Captain A1:)el Frisbie, estabHshed regnlar communication 
with Aurora, and the east side of Cayui^a Lake, for transporting 
by row boat or other primitive craft, passengers and mails, which 
ferry was continued for some time by others, from points called 
Hayes' Harbor and Smith's or Sinclair's landings. lyevanna, and 
for a time Aurora, were county seats of Onondaga or Cayuga 
County, and residents of Romulus were sometimes called upon to 
\isit these localities, upon public business. 

Later on, in 1828, a ferry for passengers, teams, and freight 
was established for a time, between Levanna and Clarktown on 
the west shore. 

Tlie steamer ICnterprise l)egan to make trips upon Cayuga 
Lake from Ithaca to Bridgeport, at the foot of the lake, as early as 
1820, but seldom landed on the west side of the lake, in this town. 

A ferry was chartered to run from Lancaster across Seneca 
Lake to Dresden, in 1825. The steamer vSeneca Chief, Capt. E. 
Miner, began its regular trips upon vSeneca Lake, July 4, 1828, 
landing at Lancaster, and lateron at Dey's Landing also. vSteamers 
upoti both the lakes, carried passengers, freights and mails. 

Landings or warehou.ses establi.shed on Seneca Lake, were 
those at Lancaster, Freleighs, (Plymouth), Cooley's, (now C. C. 
Pontius") and Dey's Landing, and a Landing known as Glen 
Gowati, was established on tlie farm of Andrew S. Long, about 
ten years ago. 

Upon Ca_\uga Lake, landings or warehouses, were at differ- 
ent times established, one in the vSouth Ivast Corner of town, 
known as Porter's Lantling, also at \\']iitne}'s, later Jacacks' 
Landing, one at Andrew Smith's, later Sinclair's, and those at 
I'^ast \"arick and Clarktown. 

At the warehou.ses mentioned, grain was i)urcliased in large 
((uantities. loaded upon boats and .shipped to Kastern cities, after 
the opening of the State Canals 

The Ithaca and Geneva Turnpike company was incorporated 
in 181 o, and there was a mail .service, commencing about that 
time, by stage from Geneva to Judge Sayre's, and Lancaster or 



40 CENTENNIAL OF ROMULUS. 

Ovid, and thence southward. The existence of this Turnpike 
Company was brief, and before the full completion of the Turn- 
pike, its charter was repealed by the I^egislature in 1823. 

After the abolition of the post office at Lancaster and the re- 
moval of Romulus post office to the village of the same name, a 
daily inland mail service by stage, was established from Geneva 
to Ithaca, passing through Romulus Village, which route was 
abolished upon the opening of the Geneva, Ithaca and vSa^re rail- 
road, in the fall of 1S73. 

With the opening of public roads and lines of travel, taverns 
or public inns to accommodate travel by land, were established in 
abundance. 

Among the early hostelries of Romulus, may be mentioned 
those of James McKnight,John Sayre and David Depue,at each of 
which, town meetings were held, and those of Asa vSmith, at Ap- 
pletown, Capt. Abel Frisbie, at Cayuga lake opposite Aurora, 
.Samuel Smith at Lancaster, H. M. Schooley at Hayts Corners, 
and George Alexander at Romulus Village. Other well known 
hotels were those of Samuel McMath, Haynes Bartlett, David 
Brooks, and Stephen Reeder, along Seneca Lake, and in tlie north 
half or Varick part of the town, tliose of Benjamin Lemmon, and 
John Y. Manning, of HezekiaU Knowles, ( Dey's Landing), John 
Boice, Skillman Doughty, and I)a^'id Kdwards, at and near Rom- 
ulus Village, Joseph Haynes, and Geo. Crobaugh, at Bearytown, 
Samuel Lerch, on Mihtary Lot, Number 5-1., of James Reifsnider, 
at Clark town, and Thomas Caton, the last named known as the 
"Log Tavern" on Military Lot Number 47. 

It was not until Sept. 1S73, that the first railway acro.ss the 
town, the line of the Geneva, Ifhaca and vSayre railroad, was 
opened to the public, and a branch railroad from Hayt's Corners 
to Willard, was opened in May, 1883. Anew through hue of 
the Lehigh Valley Railway Co. from Buffalo to New York City, was 
opened across the town in September 1892, and all of the above 
named railroads, are now operated by said last named company. 

Telegraph lines were also opened and operated in connection 



CENTENNIAI^ OF ROMULU.S. 4I 



with all of said lines of railroad, and express offices were established 
at the several railway stations. 

It has already been shown that the people of Ronutlus were 
jealously watchful of questions affecting taxation. 

The Board of vSupervi.sors of Onondaga county, in 1795 
already, of which board, Benajah Boardnian was then a member, 
recommended and adopted a new system of taxation for the towns 
of said county, as follows : 

"IVhereas, the Supervisors of Onoiukigii County, have found many in- 
conveniences by the various modes taken in the different towns in assessinj< 
the ratable property in the county, have thought it a duty to recommend to 
the assessors of each respective town, next to be chosen, in said towns, a 
mode of taking the vahiation of property which appears to us the most eli- 
gible in our local situation, desiring this' to be publicly read at the next 
annual town meeting, which uniform mode will render the next Board^of 
Supervisors, our successors in office, more capable of doing justice, in levy- 
mg taxes in our infant State, viz : Estimate as follows : 

Improved lands of a medium quality, 20 shillings per acre. 
Working oxen of a medium quality, 16 ])ounds per yoke. 
Cows of a medium ciuality, 5 pounds per piece. 
Young cattle of three years old and under, 20 shillings per year. 
Horses of a medium cpiahty, 10 pound per piece. 
Colts, three vears old and under, 40 shillings per year. 
Hogs that will weigh 100 weight. 20 shillings i)er piece. 
Negro men, 50 pounds per head. 
Negro wenches, 30 pounds i)er head. 
Grist mills, 50 pciunds per piece. 
Saw mills, 30 pounds i)er piece. 

And those articles of an inferior ()r superior (lualily, ui proportion, and 
other ratable property in like proportion. 

The l)oard further recommends to the consideration of the different 
towns, the following mode in taking the assessment, viz : That each person 
holding ratable property shall give in to the aesessor a list of his or her 
ratable property or estate, in writing, agreeable to the request of the 
assessor, which will be an a voucher for the assessor, and prevent any asper- 
sions of injustice of being taxed uiie(iually, by those having that part of 
duty to do, in society. 

The board also recommends to assessors, that they completely make 
out their list of assessment by the first of Mav as the law directs, so that 
the Supervisors may be enabled to proceed on their l)usiness at their first 
meeting and save the county costs." 

Reference to the assessment and taxation of slaves, recalls the 
fact, that \Vm. vSeely of the town of Romulus on Nov. 17, 1794, 
manumitted a slave of the name of Charles Patterson. The General 
act of the Legislature abolishing Negro Slaver}^ in this vState, passed 
in 1817, took effect July 4, 1827. 

As late as May 1 8 1 1 , a pubhc notice was filed with the Town 



42 CKNTKNNIAL OF ROMULUS 



Clerk, In- Peter Huff, of the birth of two negro slaves belonging 
to hhii. 

It is interesting to trace the history of the early x'illages of the 
Town, some of which are now extinct. 

"Time rolls his ceaseless course. The race of yore 
Who danced our infancy upon their knee, 

And told our marvelling boyhood legends .store 
Of their .strange ventures happ'd on land and sea. 
How are the}' blotted from tlie things that be !" 

Reference has been already made to the village of I^ancaster, 
(at or near which the earliest settlements in town were made) af- 
terwards for a time called Baileytown, then Ovid Landing, and 
now Willard. Records in the County Clerk's Office, refer to a plot 
and map of Lanca-ster, divided into lots, alread\- in 1798, b}' 
(ieorge and vSamuel Bailey. 

As early as Januar}' i, 1804, Lancaster Post Office was estab- 
lished, with Charles Gordon as Postmaster. 

In 1S04-5, Lancaster was an unsuccessful applicant for the lo 
cation of the County buildings, and was then the most promi.sing 
village of the Count}-. It is known that the first stores and .some 
of the finst places of business in the town of Romulus, were openetl 
at Lancaster, several years prior to any established at Roniulu 
village or at Hayts Corners. vSpafford's Gazetteer of New York, 
published in 1813, describes Lanca.ster as having about twenty 
houses, while Ovid, is described as a village in anticipation. For 
a time, a ferr}- was in operation from Lancaster to Dresden, on the 
west side of the lake. 

The Po.st Office at Lancaster was abolished in November 1814, 
and the village fell into decline 

With the opening, in 1869, of Willard vState Hospital for the 
In.sane, at the locality formerl}' known as Lancaster, the village 
at that point, (now known as Willard), revived, and a Po.st Office 
of that name, was established there, March 29, 1871, with (xcorge 
Swarthout, a descendant of one of the earliest settlers, as Post- 
master. 

The Administration Building and a considerable part of the 



CENTENNIAL QF ROMULUS. 43 



Other buildings, lands and property of the State Hospital are situ- 
ated at Willard, in the town of Romulus, and a brief reference 
should be made to this worthy charity, the largest institution for 
the care of the insane, in this State, and one of the largest in the 
United States. It has ample capacity for the treatment of 2,100 
patients, although the average number of patients under treatment 
during the past year reached 2,140. The management of this 
model institution, is in charge of an efficient Board of Trustees, 
Hon. Sterling O. Hadle}', President, with a Medical vSuperintend 
ent. Dr. T. H Kellogg, and a corps of assistants and officers. 

Another village, the oldest one known in the history of the 
town, the Indian village of Kendaia, (called also Appletown) of 
which mention has been made, ceased to have an existence, since 
its destruction by General Sullivan's army. Klkanah Watson a 
native of Plymouth, Ma.ss., of whom mention has been made as a 
visitor in Sept. 1 791, was the owner of lands at Appletown, ex- 
lending to vSeneca Lake, and in the latter years of the last century, 
a village was plotted and located upon the shore of Seneca Lake, 
one-half mile we.st of Appletown, and named Plymouth. Upon 
the map of this village, 155 village lots were delineated, with 
streets running Kast from the lake, crossed by others running 
North and South, lo which names were given on the map. Of 
the village of Plymouth, too, not a vestige remains. 

The Indian village of Swah-ya-\va-nah, on Cayuga Lake, 
nearly opposite Aurora, was totall\- destroyed b\- Col. Henry 
Dearborn's detachment from General Sullivan's army, as already 
mentioned. 

A hamlet on Military Lots 71 and 78, on Ca\uga Lake, with 
store, mills, distillery, tavern, ("Capt. Frisbie's), and boat landing, 
has entirely disappeared. 

Another village mapped and laid out, in the first 
quarter of this century, on Cayuga Lake, locally known as Clark - 
town, (opposite to Levanna, with which it had ferry communica- 
tion) with its warehouse, store, tavern, pottery, etc.^ is now en- 
tirely extinct. 

As early as 1819, thtie was a slcie kept, nrd seveial yeais 



CEXTEXNIAL OF ROMULUS. 



previously a public inn, at the place locally known as Lemmon's 
Comers on Militan.- Lot 52. Xortli Romulus Post Office estab- 
lished at this point, with Judge Benjamin Lemmon as Postmaster, 
was afterwards removed to West Faj-ette. The first town meet- 
ing held in the town of \'arick, April 6, 1S30, was held at the 
public house of Benjamin Lemmon at that place, which inn was 
subsequently for a time also kept by Col. John Y. Manning, (and 
sometimes called Manning's Hill). This little hamlet has also 
ceased to exist. 

As indicating changes in population, it ma>" be mentioned, 
that the little hamlet of McDufteetown, on Reser\-ation Lot 77, 
dating back about eight^-tlve years, the inhabitants in and 
near which, were once nearly all persons of the name McDuffee, 
now contains only one Tamil)- of that name, and no person of the 
name De}-, now lives at Dey's Landing, a hamlet on Seneca Lake 
at the southwest corner of \'arick. 

Other villages of the town of Romulus, which now ha\e exis- 
tence, although none of them incorporated, are Romulus village, 
(partly in \'arick), Hayfs Corners, and Kendaia in Romulus, and 
East Varick and a part of Bear^town, in the town of \'arick. It 
is with difficult}-, that precise information can now be collected 
relating to the same. 

Romulus village, dates back to the earh" \ears of this centur}-, 
and in 1806 a log school house had been erected near the present 
village. The Presbyterian church, organized in 1802, and its 
church edifice, a little west of the village, completed in 1809, was 
followed by a store, ashen*- and other places of business, atid soon 
after by a pubHc inn. A bank, known as the Farmers Bank of 
Seneca County, was organized Ma}- 15, 1839, and opened for 
business with .the State, July 6, of the same 5ear, — the existence 
of which terminated, b\- action of the courts, in less than two 
years. The village early became and continued to be, the center 
of business for the town, up to the division in 1S30. The open- 
ing of the Geneva, Ithaca & Sa^re Railroad, with a railway sta- 
tion, gave a new impetus to the village, which has gradually in- 
creased in jx)pulation and importance. Romulus post office, 



CENTENNIAL OF ROMULUS. 



45 



established in 1802, on the Seneca Lake road, was removed to 
this village and \Vm. McCarty appointed as postmaster, Nov. 23, 
1825. 

Hayfs Corners, takes its name from the Hayt family, who 
were early settlers there in 1806. The first store was opened in 
1 816 and the first tavern in 1820, and tradesmen of the various 
crafts and pursuits in business, followed. The growth of the 
village has been slow but since the opening of the Geneva, Ithaca 
and Sayre railroad, and the branch line to Ovid and Willard cen- 
tering there, it has increased in business and population. Its 
postoffice was not established until after the establishment of the 
railway station and bears date Dec. 8, 1873. with George Markel, 
as its fir.st postmaster. 

It was a thoughtful and commendable act on the part of the 
people of the locaUt}-, who named the little viUage of Kendaia, in 
honor of the extinct Indian village, once situated two miles south- 
ward. Kendaia is of comparatively modern growth, the establish- 
ment of its postoffice dating back to April fj, 1862, under the 
person f Amos Crane) now again holding the office of postmaster. 
There were, however, places of business there at an earlier date, 
in fact the first grist mill in the town had been erected by Francis 
Albright near there, in 1796, and was completed soon afterwards. 
Since the opening of the new direct hne of the Lehigh Valley rail- 
road, about two 3"ears ago, with a railway' station there, it has 
enjoyed some increase in business and population. It is n-^^v the 
onh' railroad station on this hne of railway, in the town. 

Of Bear\town, where the first building in\'arick, was erecLeii 
as a public inn by Joseph Haynes, earh" in this centurj', it can also 
Ije said, that the first church edifice (German) was erected there up- 
on the organization of the church in 1 809, and its cemeter>- was then 
also opened. In connection with the church, a German school 
was early established. A tavern was erected by Henr>' Bear\-, from 
whom the village is named, in 18 19, and the first store kept there- 
in by Charles L. Hoskins (still living at Seneca Falls at the ad- 
vanced age of 95 years) in 182 1. It is a quiet, pleasant httle vil- 
lage, the greater part of which is located in Fajette and lacks 
railroad communication to give an impetus to its business interests. 



46 CENTENNIAL OF ROMULUS. 

Fayette post office, located there, was esta1>lished Aug. 23, 1.S26. 

ICast \'arick on Cayuga lake, a mile east of McDuffeetowu, 
dates back its starting point, about forty-five years. At one time 
it was a bustling little village, ha\ ing a store, warehouse, hotel 
and other places of business, and had considerable lake traffic, 
but the opening of railways, and the loss of steamboat connections, 
has injured its business prosperity of late years. Us post-office 
was established July 5, 1S50, with Hcnjaniin li-irrick as its first 
Post Ma.ster. 

The earliest settlers, found it ncces.sar\- in the absence of any 
grist mills, for grinding flour, to resort to the stump mortar and 
hominy block for pounding the same. The grist mill earl>- erected 
on the west side of vSeneca lake, near Dresden, Benajah Hoardmans 
mill, west of Ovid village, with Major liear's mill at vSkoiyase, 
and Judge Halsey's mill at Lodi, were but little in achance in 
time of erection, of the mill constructed by Francis Albright near 
Kendaia.in 1796, and afterwards run b}- Michael Baldridge. Other 
early grist mills were those of Benjamin De>s; Capt. Andrew 
Smith's, (afterwards John Sinclair's); Benjamin SuttfMi's; W'm. 
Chamberlain's, and one, two miles east of Romulus \ilhige, run 
by vSilas Allen and others, ami there were several others whirh 
had a brief existence. 

Ivarly stores as alread}- mentioned^ were kei)t at the \ illages 
of Lancaster, Romulus, Hayt's Corners, and other \ illages and 
hamlets named herein. There were also stores kej^t in thv earl\ 
flays of the town, b\ John .Sayre and John Bainbridgi-, 1>\ Zcbedee 
Willi:nus, l.\ Stephen K. Miller, by Daxid llarri.^. at Schuyler's 
point, (north of Chirktow u ), one atCooIe\'.s I.;in(Hng. and another 
at the .\s1ri\ Corners, one mile east of Romulus \illage, 

ICarlx auctioneers oi real and personal i»roperly were John 
Williams, Thomas Mann and llaxnes Bartlett, and later on 
.S.minel Pc-nhand Punn Prokiiw . 

Were llie iulormation at Iiaud, ami time permitted, it might 
be of interest, to gi\c- a romplele list of all the sawmills, lainieries. 
and asheries, throughout the town as well as to gi\e the names 
of early shoemakers tailors, carpenters, blacksmiths, i(iui)ers. 



CENTENNIAL OF ROMULUS. 47 



saddlers, &c, but an}' attempt to do so, from vague and indefinite 
data, at hand, is impracticable. Many of the earlier settlers had 
l^een instructed in mechanical trades in 3'outh, and although here 
devoted to farming, they found abundant opportunity also to 
practice their handicrafts, as numerous blacksmith shops &c, in all 
parts of the town attested. 

It is well in passing, to note the changes, as well as the ad- 
\-ance and progress made in town, not only in population but also 
in material wealth and prosperity. Under the first Constitution 
of this State, adopted in 1777, and in force until 1822, the right of 
suffrage was restricted under property qualifications, to three classes 
of voters 

The first class, which had the right to vote for Governor, 
Lieutenant Governor, State Senator, and all other elective officers, 
was required to possess a freehold of the value of one hundred 
pounds ($250) over and above all debts charged therein. 

The second class, embraced those who were possessed of a 
freehold within the county of the value of twenty pounds ($50) 
and the third class, those not possessed of a freehold, but who 
rented tenements of the yearly value of forty shillings ($5). 

\'oters of the second and third classes w^ere authorized to \'ote 
for Members of Assembly and town officers. 

Count}' officers were first appointed b}' the Governor and 
Council of Appointment of the State, and in a few cases by Boards 
of Supervisors, -and did not become elective by vote of the people 
until 1.S22. Justices of the Peace were not elected by the people 
until 1S27, in which year, Mather Marvin, Samuel Blain, Stephen 
R. Miller and James Purdy, were chosen as the first elected Board 
of Justices of Romulus. 

Karly Justices of the Peace, appointed for the town of Romu- 
lus, March 14, 1799, while still a part of Cayuga County, were 
William Brewster, Benjamin Dey, Wilhelmus Mynderse, and 
l{lijah Miller, and on Jan'y. 22, 1802, Isaac Johnson, John vSayre, 
John Hood and David Wisner were appointed. 

Upon the erection of Seneca County in 1S04, the names of 
John vSayre, Asa Smith and John Hood were included in the first 
list of Judges, and Justices connni.ssioned for the new county. 



CENTENNIAI, OF ROMUIvUS 



Among other Magistrates (Justices of the Peace), of Romu- 
his, appointed prior to 1810, were David Burroughs, vSilas Allen 
and Alvah Gregor}'. 

Commissioners to take the proof and acknowledgment of 
Deeds were appointed for the several towns under an act of 181 8, 
by the Board of Supervisors and Court of Common Pleas. John 
D. Coe, vStephen R. Miller and Nathaniel N. Ha}'t, are known to 
have served among other Commissioners of Deeds for Romulus. 
In 1840, Justices of the Peace were empowered to take the ac- 
knowledgment of deeds, and the office of Commissioner of Deeds 
in towns was abolished. 

vState elections prior to 1822, were held on the last Tuesday of 
April. After that date, as now, in November, but up to 1842, 
were held for three successive days, at as many different places in 
each town, under the same Board of Election officers. Town 
meetings were for a long time held in this county, on the first 
Tuesday of April in each year, afterwards changed in 1849 for 
a time, to the second Tuesday of March, and of late years, since 
1878, are held on the second Tuesday of February. 

Enumerations of voters in this State, were ordered under acts 
of 1790 and 1795 (the latter, one year after the organization of this 
town) but no returns of these enumerations for this locality, have 
been found at the State I^ibrary at x\lbany, upon inquiry. 

The enumeration of voters of this State, taken under an act 
of 1 80 1, and made for this town, by John Sayre, bears date Octo- 
ber 20, I So I. It includes one hundred and eighty names of 
voters of the first class, in the territory of Romulus and Varick, 
ninety-four of the second class and seventy-two of the third 
class. (vSee Census of Voters in Appendix E.) 

Another enumeration of voters was made in 1807, by John 
Hood, David Burroughs and Robert Fleming, when three hundred 
and twenty voters were found, one hundred eighty-seven of the 
first class, seventeen of the second and one hundred and sixteen of 
the third class, showing that the number of voters had nearly 
doubled in the previous six 3'ears. 

By the census of 18 10, the number of families in the town as 



CENTENNIAL OF ROMUtUS. 49 



then constituted, is given as four hundred and thirty-one, and of 
voters of the first class, one hundred and seventy-nine. 

The United vStates census of 1800, the first taken after the 
organization of this town, gave its population as 1,025. 

In 1810, the population which had nearly tripled during the 
decade, was 2,766. In 1820, it was 3,129. 

By the State census of 1825, it was 4, 127. 
In 1830, after the erection of the town of \'arick from Romu- 
lus, the population of each, was as follows : 
Romulus, 2,089, and Varick, 1,890. 

While there has since been some fluctuation in the population, 
there has been no material increase since 1830, except at Willard 
village, in Romulus, and by the last census of 1892, the population 
of this town, is given as 2,181. 

The population of Varick has fallen off of late years, and by 
the last census, was only 1,379, showing the movement of popu- 
lation from rural towns to cities and villages. 

By the cemsus of 1810, some very interesting industrial sta- 
tistics were collected, which are set out in vSpafford's Gazetteer of 
the State of New York. 

This authority assigns to the town of Romulus that year, one 
hundred and two mechanics, employed at eleven different trades. 
There were one hundred and thirteen weaving looms in families, 
producing in 1810—30,342 yards of cloth, and as truthfully re- 
marked by the author— the household spinning wheel and loom, 
and the farm, (by flax culture and sheep raising) supply a large 
part of the clothing of the inhabitants. 

In those days of household frugality, there was Httle occupa- 
tion for milhners, and dressmakers. Tailors and shoemakers 
(when indeed such were employed) went about from house to 
house, and were occasionally employed in the family, the farmer 
furnishing the cloth of his own manufacture for the clothing, and 
leather made in tanneries within the town, for boots or .shoes. At 
that time, jewelers, confectioners and like tradesmen, were but 
Httle patronized. In 18 10, there were located in Romulus, three 
tanneries, five potash works, three grist mills, and seven saw- 



50 CENTKNNIAL OF ROMULUS. 

mills — at the present time not a single asliery or tannery — and no 
gristmill, (since the unfortunate destruction of one recentls' ]>> 
fire) with but one saw mill. 

By the same census, tliere were six distilleries of grain and 
fruit spirits, which in that year, made 12,730 gallons, valued at 
$7,956 or an average value of seventy-two cents per gallon. Now 
there is not a distillery of any kind in the town. The manufac- 
ture of maple sugar as an article of household use, an important 
industry in the early days, has been almost entirely di.scon tinned, 
by. the de^^truction of the- forest, and the consequent scarcit>- of 
sugar maple trees. 

The first thirty-five years of the official existence of Romulns 
were years of intense activity. The forests were largely cleared, 
orchards planted, churches and school houses reared, log houses 
gave place to comfortal)le frame or brick structures, and the people 
of the town advanced steadily, in material wealth and comfortable 
surroundings. The aggregate valuation of the town, in real and 
personal estate, liad increased from $137,173 in 1804, when the 
first Board of Supervisors of Seneca Count}' met, to $655,209 in 
1829. 

In 1830 the Legislature of the State again divided the town, 
and created a new town, embracing nearly one-half of the area of 
Romulus — and named the same in honor of the Revolutionary 
patriot and statesman. Col. Richard Varick, of whom, the people 
of the town receiving his name, ma}' well .say : 

"We love the heroes of our land. 

Whose name shall live in .stor}'. 
The wise of heart, the strong of hand, 

Whose life and death is glory." 

Tlie act dividing the town, Chapter 23, Laws of 1830, directs, 
that "from and after the first day of April of that year, Romulus 
shall be divided into tw^o towns, by a line commencing-at Cayuga 
Lake, on the south line of the late west Cayuga Reservation • 
thence west along the same to the south-west corner of said Reser- 
vation ; thence north eight degrees, east five chains and twenty- 
five links, to the center of the highway running west through the 
farm of Jacob Vreeland, thirty-one chains; thence west on the 



CKNTKNNIAl. UK RUMUI,U.S. 5I 



line between George Alexander and Albert Earll, thirty-three 
chains and ninety links to the east line of Military Lot 63; thence 
south two chains and thirty-three links to the south-east corner of 
Lot 63 ; thence west on the line of Military Lots 63, 68, 62, 67, 
61 and 66, to the east line of Military Lot 64 ; thence north to the 
north-east corner thereof, and from thence west to Seneca Lake." 

The same act directed, that the first town meeting thereafter 
be held in Varick at the house of Benjamin Lemmon, and in 
Romulus at the house of Ira Giddings. 

The present area of Romulus, (since 1830), includes 22,500 
acres of land, and that of \'arick, 19,500 acres. 

vSince the division, the most cordial relations have continued 
between parent and child, and much business is still transacted in 
both towns, at this village, on the division line of the two towns, 
as in olden times. Neither of these towns embarked in railroad 
])onding and neither has a public debt. Although the labors of 
the husbandman are not now as remunerative as in earlier years, 
when greater economy \vas also practiced, and the new in- 
dustries of the two towns, grape culture to the extent of full}' 
1,200 acres, and fruit raising, have not as yet brought profitable 
returns, all are still hopeful of brighter days to come. During the 
present year, two creameries ha\'e been established, which it is 
hoped, will bring favorable revenue to our farmers, for when the 
owner and tiller of the soil is well rewarded and prosperous, all 
classes and conditions profit by such success. 

The farmers of the town, were from the first, vigilant in pro- 
tecting their interests, as already shown. 

At the town meeting held in April, 18 10, it was " Resolved, 
that any man letting a Canada thistle go to seed on his farm, to 
be fined five dollars. ' ' This commendable action of the people, 
doubtless had a restrictive effect for a time, but unfortunately the 
Canada thistle came to stay, and is largeh' spread over the fair 
fields of the town. 

Let it be hoped, that we maj' never ha\ e to contend with a 
European foe in the Russian thistle, for which like the Hessian 
fly, the Canada thistle and the Russian LaC^rippe, we can have no 
love whatever. 



52 CENTENNIAL OF ROMULUS. 



The changes and improvements in farming in the past one 
hundred years, covering the transition from the sickle to the self- 
liinding reaper, also from the threshing flail to the steam thresher, 
have indeed been marvellous. 

It is creditable to the farmers of Romulus to mention, that as 
early as the year 1842, a farmer's club had been established by 
voluntary membership and association, having among its members 
Hon. Peter J. Van Vleet, Hon. Helini vSutton, Gen. Thomas J. 
Folwell, Edward Sayre, Ebenezer S. and Benjamin Bartlett, and 
Jo.seph Wyckoff, with their wives, of whom only the flr.st named 
and wife, now survive. This club held frequent meetings by 
alternation, at the homes of the respective members, to discuss the 
best methods of farming etc, and on the part of the lady members, 
to exchange practical views upon methods of house keeping. As 
can readily be understood, these meetings were as well instructive 
and profitable, as socially pleasant gatherings. 

Kendaia Grange, Number 64, Patrons of Husbandry, an or- 
ganization formed January 28, 1874, with Andrew^ J. Bartlett as 
Worthy Master, which has for its large membership, farmers with 
their wives, mothers, sons and daughters, has for twenty years 
past exerted its influence to instruct, improve and elevate the con- 
dition of the farmer, and to benefit the community as well. 

Seneca County Pomona Grange, Patrons of Husbandry, with 
its membership of about one thousand, is to-day well represented 
here, forming one of the special features of the procession, and 
unites with us in honor of the occasion for which we have as.seni- 
bled, under the leadership of its chief officer, W. M. Andrew J. 
Bartlett of Romulus. 

It w'ould perhaps have been more satisfactory if we could have 
united with us to-day in commemorating this event, representa- 
tives from all the towns formed from the old original town of Rom- 
ulus, especiall}^ of the neighboring town of Fayette, which with 
Seneca Falls, occupies a part of the territory of the military town- 
ship of Romulus but it was not deemed feasible to attempt so ex- 
tensive a re-union at this time. It is however gratifying, to see 
many present here to-day from all parts of old Romulus. 

We must leave it to the people of Fayette (the centennial of 



CKNTKNNIAL OF ROMULUS. 



53 



the organization of which town will occur in the year 1900) to 
do honor to the pioneer settlers of the Military Township of Rom- 
ulus (and upon the Cayuga Indian Reservation) within the boun- 
daries of that town, and to worthily remember the labors of Dr. 
Alexander Coventry, John Runisey, William Gamber, James 
McClung, Maj. Samuel Bear, Martin Kendig. Israel Catlin, Vin- 
cent Runyan, Martin Hogan, Capt. \Vm. Irland, and the Yost, 
Rorison, Bachman, Hendricks', Schott, Sweet, Peterson, Tooker 
and \'an Riper, families with other pioneers of that locality, 
including many Pennsylvania German families, forming, with 
some already mentioned, a leading element in the population of 
that town, of whom, those of the name Pontius, Disinger, Reed, 
Hoster, Riegel, Singer, vShankwiler, Kuney, Deppen, Garnet, 
Alleman, Flickinger, vShaffer, Stofifet, Pratz, and Markel were 
among the earliest settlers. 

The town of Fayette has much historic material to be pre- 
ser\-ed. Mention may here be made briefly of the early histor>' of 
Mormonism in this locality and the translation or transcribing for 
publication of the Mormon Bible by Joseph Smith, the founder of 
Mormonism, in 1S30, (in which year it was printed at Palmyra, 
N. Y.) while residing with the family of a Fayette farmer, Peter 
W'hitmer, on Military Lot 13, who with Christian, Jacob, John 
David and Peter Whitmer, Jr., and others, became converts to 
Mormonism and followed Smith to Kirtland, Ohio, and onward 
in his remox-als westward. David Whitmer, one of the last sur- 
vivors of these con\erts, died at Richmond, Missouri, a few years 
ago, (1IS85), at the age of eighty years. 

A monument to the celebrated Indian Chief, Red Jacket, 
Sa-go-ya-wat-ha, was Unveiled at his birth place at Canoga, in 
Fayette, under the auspices of the Waterloo Library and Histori- 
cal Society, with appropriate ceremonies, October 14, 1891, and 
the exercises and proceedings upon that occasion, have been pub- 
lished in pamphlet form, by that society. Canoga and two other 
Indian villages near b}-, on Cayuga Lake, were destroyed by a de- 
tachment from General Sullivan's army, in vSeptember 1779. 

The town of Seneca Falls, a part of the territory of the old 
town of Rcfmulus, fittingly okserved the centennial of its first 



54 CENTENNIAL OP ROMULUS 



settlement, and made a suitable record of the pioneer services of 
Job Smith, Lawrence Van Cleef, Col. W'ilhelmus Mynderse, 
David I,um and others — on the fourth da}' of July, 1887. 
The Historical address on that occasion, was delivered by 
Henry vStowell, editor of the vSeneca Falls Reveille. 

The Library and Historical Society, at Waterloo as elsewhere 
stated, has laid aside in its archives, much material relating to the 
early history of that town, and the Indian village ofSkoiya.se, lo- 
cated theiein, — a monument to commemorate the destruction of 
which, by a detachment of General vSullivan's army, having been 
dedicated in September, 1879, an account of which was pubHshed 
in a volume issued in 1880, entitled Seneca County Sulhvan Cen- 
tennial. * 

Let us hope, that the good people of the towns of Junius and 
Tyre, will collect and preserve such data as may still be accessible, 
to complete and perpetuate their early history, so far as possible. 

The history of the old towns of Galen and Wolcott, former 
towns of Seneca county, until the erection of Wayne county, 
April 1 1, T-23 — with the four towns afterwards erected therefrom, 
vSavannah, Butler, Rose and Huron, (all a part of the territory of 
the original town of Romulus) has been inteUigently and thor- 
oughly written up, by Prof. Lewis H. Clark, of Sodus, in his 
Military History of Wayne County, issued in 1884. 

A local History of the town of Rose, edited by Alfred »S. Roe, 
under the title, "Ro.se Neighborhood vSketches, " is now also in 
process of publication. 

The towns of Romulus and Varick entered with a patriotic 
.spirit upon the celebration of the centennial of American Indepen- 
dence, in 1876, and in 1879, when the centennial of the vSuUivan 
expedition was observed at Waterloo, these towns also bore an 
important part in making the same a success. All honor is due to 
the Waterloo Library and Historical Society, for the successful 
management of that celebration, and for its zeal and activity, ever 
shown in efforts to collect and preserve facts and incidents relating 
to the settlement and history of Waterloo and its pioneer .settlers, 
as indeed, in the absence of a county Historical .society, it has ex- 



CENTENNIAL OF ROMULUS. 



55 



tended its influence and efforts also to collect and preserve the early 
histor)' of the several towns of this county. It is gratitying to 
know, that this society is worthily represented here to-day. 

In 1889, the centennial of the first j-r///tw.?w/ of Romulus, was 
observed in this beautiful grove, where we this day meet, and our 
))residing officer of to-day, gave a very instructive and interesting 
address on that occasion, whicli doubtless gave some incentive 
also, to our celebration to-day. 

The first century of our official exi.stence now clo.sed, has been 
one of progress and advancement veril\- from barbarism to civil- 
ization, in its highest forms. 

It has witnessed the triumphs of steam and electricit\- as 
applied by the ingenuity of man, not onl\- for motive and propel- 
ling power, but also in man>- other and diversified forms, to im- 
))rove the condition, alleviate the labors and promote the highest 
and best interests of man — and no where has all this become more 
manifest, than to the dweller in a rural communit}', like ours. 

We stand here, to-day, upon the threshold of the .second cen- 
'air\- of official existence, and having taken a retro.spective view of 
the century which has pas.sed, let us now look forward to the fu- 
ture, with trust and confidence in the Divine Being, that He will 
mercifully direct the events of the future, as He has the past. 

In closing, while thanking 30U for }-onr kind attention, and 
with acknowledgments to all who assisted me, in collecting histor- 
ical material, I can find no words more fitting, as adapted to this 
occasion, than those of a patriotic Statesman of New York, now 
decea.sed, who.se name will ever stand high upon the .scroll of our 
public men : 

' ' The past is full of noble examples, animating us with patri- 
otic love of our State and Nation, but we mu.st not confine our 
attention to the past. The pre.sent and the future have their obli- 
gations. It is our duty to emulate the patriotism of our fathers. 
In all that concerns our Town, Count}', State, and common 
country, let us not onl_\- be mindful of the pa.st, but in everything 
that affects education, morality, progress and patriotism, be ani- 
mated b}' the .spirit of the motto, emblazoned upon the shield (^f 
our ^t^ie~/L\CE/.SiOR. ' ' 



be 



CENTENNIAL OF ROMULUS. 



APPENDIX TO HISTORICAL ADDRESS. 

Al'l'F.XDlX A. 

Abstract of Land Patents in Ronniliis Military townshiji, taken from 
the State records at Albany : 



A'(i///rs of /'(i/t/i/ri's 



Edmund Kelly 
Benjamin Dey 
Wm. Jackson. 
Teunis I. Henic 
John Gamliee. 



L.lijah .Miller 

Michael Shetterlv 



[)vck. 



Anthony Dey . . . 

(Survey 50 acres) . 

Col. Cornelius V'ai 

John Beardsley. . 

Abner Prior 

Jacob Hallett 

John Armstrong . 
Mordecai Hale . . 
*Gospel and Scho< 
Charles Thomjisor 

David Dev i 

Alia McMath 

John Mead 

Gerrit W. Van Schaick, survey 50 acres 

Capt. James Gregg 

John Jacob 

Thomas Owens 

Robert McClellau 

Col. James Livingston 

+Literature Lot 

John P>. Schuyler 

Jacob Lowdon 

J ames Barr , 

James Karr 

Purchaser I'nknown 

Peter W. Yates, Survey 50 acres 

fohn P. Boyea 

John Stake 

John Beardslev 

Capt. H. A'an 'Debureh 



-'=Deede(l by Trustees of Lot. 

tSold and deeded by I'nion College, 



43 


500 






• 1 100 


S. E 




44' 600 






4 S 600 


I 


iQl.y 




2 


68.8 




3 


79% 




4 


73-3 




5 


46. s 




6 


48 




/ 


64 
50 


46 S"0 






100 


S. E. 




47 1 500 






100 


S. E. 




48 600 






49 600 






50 600 


I 


180.20 
100 
17346 
100 




N. K. 


50 


Uj 600 






=;2, 600 






53 500 






1 100 


S. E. 




54 600 






55 600 




'44 
96 

192 
48 
48 






N.W. 


50 


56 


600 






57 


550 
50 






5« 


600 


S. E. 





CENTENNIAL OF ROMUl.UvS. 



5^ 



John Gamber 
Elijah Miller. 



John Buys 

J. A. Wade and others 

Nathaniel Ayres 

Abel Bacon 

(Survey 50 acres) 

James Parker 

Christopher Queen 

Ephriani Blanchard 

Gen. Alex. McDougall 

Robert Troup 

Benj. Goodale 

Richard Moore 

Peter Bainbridge 

Eleazer Yeamans 

loshua Davis 

Arthur Hurley 

Joseph Jones 

John Green 

Peter Green 

James Goodall 

Timothy Green 

Jeremiah Smith 

Lieut. Jonathan Lawrence, jr.. . , 

Lieut. Peter Tappan 

Abiel Petty....- 

Jeremiah Van Rensselaer , 

George Stock 

Wm. Gilleland, jr. . 

Lieut. Col. Cornelius \'an Dyck 

Elkanah Watson 

Thomas l^ryan 

Philip Van Cortlandl 

Daniel Dawson 

Alex. Munro 

Richard Piatt 

Samuel Dodge 

Chas. McKenny 

.■\braham Hodge 

Lieut. John Stagg, jr 

Thomas Brooks 

John Beardsley 

John Williams 

Lieut. Chas. E. Weissenfeis. ... 

John Cosgrove 

Robert McClellan 

Lieut. Col. Benj. Walker 

Wm. Gilleland 

Isaiah Burch 

Robert Provoost 

Jacob Hallett 

Michael Decker 

Cornelius C. Elmendorf 

James Grace 



59 


600 


I 


137 






2 


164 






3 


160 
60 






4 


'55 
46.4 






5 


1 19.8 






s. w. 


50 


60 


600 






61 


600 






62 


600 






63 


500 








100 


S. E. 




64 


600 






65 


500 








100 


S. E. 




66 


600 






67 


600 






68 


600 






6q 


600 






70 


600 






71 


600 






72 


600 






73 


600 






74 


600 






7S 


600 






76 


600 






n 


Soo 








100 


S. E. 




7« 


500 








100 


S. E. 




79 


500 








100 


S. E. 




80 


500 








100 .S. K. 




Si 


600 1 




82 


600' 




83 


600 




84 


600 




8S 


600 




86 


600 




87 


600 




88 


500, 
100 S. E. 




8c, 


600 




90 

91 


600 

500, 




100 S. K. 




<;2 SOO 




100 




93 


600 




94 


500 

100 S. K. 




95 


500, 
100 S. K. 




96 


600 







.^8 



CKNTENNIAI, OF ROMUtU?. 



John Goodcourage. 

Levi Burling 

John Robinson . . . 
Florence Alarony. . 
Thompson Bacon. 



Q7 


600 


1 


q« 


SCO 






100 


S. E. 


QQ 


600 




lOO 


600 





Patents for 500 acres and 600 acres each were issued during the niontli 
of July, 1790 — while patents for 100 acres or 50 acres or other sLihdividcd 
lots were issued at later dates. 



Awards made by (Jnondat 
in Romulus Military townshii), 



a Com 



cases ol dis[iuted title^ 



Lots. 



Names. 



ick.. 



Benj. Dey 

Peter W. Yates . . 

G.VV.VanSchaick, & H.Bleecker 

John Beardslee 

Benj. Dey 

Gerrit W. \'an.Sc 

Benj. Dey 

Isaac Hathaway 

John Rogers' heirs 

Elkanah Watson 

C. Glen & B. Bleeckev 

Geo. x\l. Woolsev 

Nicholas Fish...' 

Caleb Benton 

Elkanah Watson 

Margaretta Varirk .. 

Robert Troup 

James McKnight 

Margaretta Varick . . , 

Caleb Benton 

John D. Coe 

lames Reed 

Robert Dill 

Peter W. Yates 

Calvin Sanger 

Elkanah Wat.son .... 



Peter W. Yates 

Gerrit W. VanSchaick 

Elk land Watson 

Nathaniel Piatt 

John Beardslee 

VVm. Thompson 

Gerrit W. V'anSchaick. 
John Robison .... 

John D. Dickinson 

Elijah Kinne, Jr 

David Wisner 

John Dey 



Acres. 


500 


1 


qo s. 


K. 


500 




100 s. 


v.. 


600 




qo N 


K. 


ftoo 




50 N. 


W. 


100 s. 


J'.. 


50 N. 


1:. 


600 




S'^o 




600 




^0 s. 


\\'. 


600 




50 s. 


u. 


100 s. 


!•:. 


600 




so N 


w. 


50 N. 


\v. 


600 




600 




550 




SO s. 


w. 


SCO 




100 s. 


]■".. 


SCO 




100 s. 


E. 


SO s. 


W. 


50 s. 


!■:. 


600 




SCO 




100 s. 


i:. 


550 




so N 


\\ . 


Soo 




100 s. 


v.. 


soo 




100 s. 


\v. 


600 





Dale of Award. 

Nov. 14, 1798 
March 19, 1801 



Copi 
These 

1082. 



Nov. 17, 
Dec. 28, 
Oct. 17, 

Feby. 24, 1802. 

Feby. 24, 1802, 

_ Feby. 23, 1802 

ed from the "Book of Awards," filed in Cayuga County Clerk's Office 
Awards bear date during a period from March 30, 1798, to Feby. 24. 
The awards made as to Lots 60, 70, 71 and 79 were dissented to. 



Nov. 9, 

Dec. 13, 

Nov. 14. 

Aug. 16, 

Dec. 4, 

Nov. s, 

Nov. II, 

Mav 6, 

Dec. 27, 

Nov. 15, 

Sept. 10, 

janv. 30, 

"Dec. 3, 

Aug. 15, 

Aug. 16, 

Nov. 24, 

June 3, 

J any. ^30, 

Nov. IS, 

Oct. 31', 

Nov. 16, 

March 19, 

Nov. 15, 

Nov. 28, 

Sept. 12, 

Nov. 22. 

March 19, 

Aug. 16, 

Dec, 8, 

Aug. 5, 

Dec. 13, 

March 30, 1798 
1798 
1798, 
1799 



1799 
1800, 
1798 
1800. 
179H. 
1799' 
1800 
1800 
1800. 

1799 
1800. 
1802 
1798, 
1800, 
1800. 
1800. 
1799 
1802 
1799. 
1799. 
1798. 
1 801 
1798 
^798 
1799 
1798 
i8oi 
1800. 
1 800, 

1799 
1800 



CENTENNIAL OF ROMULUS. 



5^ 



WESl' CAYUGA RESERVATION. 

IN TOWN OF VARICK. 

From records at Albany it appears lots were patenteti as follows 



Lots. 



To Whom Patented. 



Date of Patent. 



No. of 
A ores. 



Christian Kuney 

William Hill 

William X. Bannister. . i i' 

Lewis Xothnagle [- -j 

Jacob Lauteuschhii^er.. > ( 

David Harris . . . . 

Andrew Hood 

John Ansberger .... 

John Leisennng pt 

Amelia J. Schuyler pt 

Charles Thompson [)l 

Seneca P. King pt 

Elijah Miller.. 

John Camber 

Henry Singer 

Elijah Miller 

John Williams 

John Ciamber 

Thomas Lowdon and George Clouser.. . 

Samuel Falkingburgh 

Henry Pace t 

Henrv Gardner 

William Hill 

Samuel Phillips 

Elias Christopher 

Abraham Arnokl 

William Emmons 

Isaac Parker and Abraham Hoagland. . 

David Quigley ' 

David Edwards 

Henry Gardner 

Daniel Christopher 



September 17, 181 1. 
Not ascertained 



January 4, 1814 

February 1 [, 1814.. .i 
September 17, i8ii..i 

April 27, 1832 

November 6, 1816.. . 
December 30, 1863 . 



[816.. 



November 9, 

July 25, 1818 

May 30. i8og 

November g, 1816. . 

March 5. 1816 

July 5, iSio 

July 8, 1813 

January 7, 181 1 

May 30, 1809 

Not ascertained 

April 20, 1815 

May 30, 1809 

July 8, 1813 

August 8, 1811 

July 6, 1815 . . 

January 16, 1817 

June 14, 1816 

June I, 1815 

February 29, 1808... , 
iVIay 30, 1809 



250 

250 

250 

155 
250 
250 



238 
250 
250 
213 
208 
250 
250 
200 
200 
250 
200 
208 
214 
250 
250 
216 
223 

195 
140 
.84 



Appendix B. 
"Memorial of inhabitants between the Seneca and Cayuga lakes in the 
Military Tract" - presented to the Legislature June 27, 1795. 

"Your petitioners, did in the year 1788, settle themselves between the 
lakes with the expectation of enjoying the lands, on which they were each 
settled and as at that early day they were not informed that the said lands 
were assigned for Military purposes. 

\'our petitioners therefore pray, that they may not be looked upon as 
intruders and violators of the laws, and as they have made large improve- 
ments between the Lakes, which a few years ago was wild, savage and un- 



6o 



CENTE>;NIAL of ROMULt-g. 



cultivated, but now has become an inhabited, fruitful and fertile countn-. 
which in a few months we expect to leave to the legal owners of the soil - 
your Petitioners think it reasonable, that a compensation should be made to 
them for their improvements. 

Signed bv twentv-three persons including 

Nathaniel SwARTHOUT, 
Anthony Swarthout, 
loHN Swarthout, 
David Depue, 
David Wisner, 
Iames Cooley. 
James King. 



CENTEXNIAL OF ROHTXr?. &I 

AppEXDrs C 
Superr'isers of Romulus to rSjc. 

1704, q;,q6 Ben-atah Boaedman 

i797,qS.qq, iSoc George Baijlet 

1800, SepL 2 John ^ATU El vacancy • 

i8oi!to 1808. inclusive .-John Sayre 

180Q, to 18 14, inclusive --- Joxas:?eeley 

,8jI \Vm. Watts Folvtell 

i8i6'to 182 1, "inclusive " Samtel Blain 

,g2^ JoXAS bEELEY 

,g-,t' >LiTHER Marvin 

1824 
1825, 



AXTHON-T DeY 

Mather Marvin 



1826: J0XASSEEI.ET 

SAJtrEL Blain 



1827 



^uperi'is^frs frvmt fSjc 



iS^^,i.-.2 -IohnSatre 

,g;, ~ ~ lOXAS bEELEY 

ist£ ^; ;6 iUTTHEW D. COE 

igC'^-'^ Edward Sayre 

iS^" ."-...!-.'■...." Cyrus J. Sctto-v 

igC Xathasiel N'. Hayt 

1840. .'! !!!!]. "!]!-". '. Cyrus J. St-TToN 

,g,j . Elitah Denton 

jg,,' "! I* I! I! "I.... !"...... \Vm. A- Stout 

184T 4.4 **"!**". '. Wm.T Johnson 

fgt;' !." .*" !!!...". Henry McLafferty 

ig.A ,- ' """.'" Jeter T. VanVleet 



-Cyrus Kisne 

Joseph F. H.^rrfs 



1S46. X- 

1848. 

1840, 

,g;o ;i FEKN.A.NDO C WII.LLA.XS 

,§-;,'-;, " _"" A.-\tA5AL. FuRM-V^- 
'■^"* ""^ .Helim Sutton 



,^1.' -^ ._ " Joseph F. H-\RRis 

i8"Si! ;q.' io ..'. '. .■.".".".■"."."*-"'■----." Peter L VanVleet 

K^I 6? PETER P.POST 

ig^, ,RiCH.\RD M. STEELE 

ig^ji'p- .WM- D. GiDDINGS 

,g(^'p^ ."' Geo- W- Uc-\CK> 

1868:00. -o.-i".';^ ...v.. -" ----, James Bl-un 

jg-, -, ■ . E. ^EELEY B-\RTLETT 

igi-* 1^ Aaron V. Brokaw 

jgL^' Is; _'""" Iohs M. Yerkes 

jgi' ■ ^ V.V. -".". - - - ToHN Monroe 

,i^<^-," William Stewart 

,^' ;.*;_; ja-mesbl-^n 

iSS- 8; Rynear C -Allex 

j^7 V- S6 Edward VanVleet 

iSji-s5'so .'" Cyrus E- KiN-NE 

S^" DonP. Blaln 

^- Chas. W. Rising 

180' Q^ . ...: Darwin C- KiNNE 

i8q4 ^ .!!!!.!!.:"" JOSLAH VeKKES 



^:i 6? CENTKN.NVAL OF ROMULUS. 



7o7rn Clerks to /Sjo. 

1 7Q4. •• WiM. Winter 

1795,96 George Bailey 

1797. 98, 99, 1800. John Sayre 

1801, 3, 3, Daniel Sayre 

1804, 5, 6, 7 ... Joseph Wyckoff 

1808, Q, 10, 1 1 "... Silas Allen 

1812, KbENEZER CONKLIN 

1813,14. David Edwards 

1815, 16, 17, 18, 19. 20, 21, 23 FLbenezer Conklin 

1823, 34 Wm. H. King 

1825,26,37 Matthew D. Coe 

1828, 29 John Geddes 

Tow/! Meefini^s. llVun- Held. 

1794 at Benajah Boardman's. 

'795. 9^^ •'It James McKnight's. 

1797, to 1800, inclusive, at John Sayre's. 

1801, to 1819, inclusive, at David Depue's. 

1820, 21, 22, at John Buys.' 

1823, at Skillman Doty's. 

1824, at David Edwards." 

1825, at George Alexander's. 

1826, at David Depue's. 

1827, 28, 29, at George Alexander's. 
1830, 31, 32, 33, at Ira Giddings". 

1834, at Henry M. Schooley's. 

1835, at William Martin's. 

Since 1835, town elections have been held at the centre of the town 
at Martin's, or in School House near there. In 1890, the town was divided 
into three election districts, for the holding of General State elections, with 
election polls at Willard, Hayt's Corners, and Romulus \'illage. 



Sjipervisors of I'arick. 

1830. Anthony Dey 

1831,32,33 Samuel Blain 

1834,35,36 Charles Lemmon 

1837, " JOHN A. Christopher 

1838, Daniel H. Bryant 

1839, John A. Christopher 

1840, David Harris 

1841, Jesse Abbott 

1842, 43 Robert R. Steele 

1844, Daniel H.Bryant 

1845,46,47 Jesse Abbott 

1848, Joseph Gambee 

1849, • • Jesse Abbott 

1850, Robert R. Steele 

1851, Jesse Abbott 

1852, Sc)LOMON C. Gambee 

1853,54 Abraham Lerch 

1855, ........ /William Burroughs 



CENTENNIAL OF ROMULUS. "S^ 4 J 

1X56, (".i:()KGE S, CONOVI'.K 

1857, 58, 5(; W'll.I.lAM BrKROlKiHS 

i860,' " JOHN MONROK 

1861,62 ]\.P.\-. Dll'.DKICH WlLLKKS 

1863! 64 Alfred Hunt 

1861;, 66 DlKDRKH WiLLERS, Jr. 

1867,68 ■ Calvin WiLLEKs 

1869170 Alfred Hunt 

1871, lU'RROUGHS Roberts 

1872,7^,74 Henry F. Troutalnn 

i^S7q| "' Ralrh p. R()1',erts 

,876! ". David H. Manei-, 

1877I 78 Dk. Frank H. Flood 

i87<;!8o joHN\". Crane 

1881,82, S^, Henry C.LisK 

1884,85,86 Damei. C. Burrou(;hs 

1887! 88, 8<, Oi.iN E. Fmens 

iXgo. John McKni(;ht 

i8qi] Arthur H. Brooks 

,8(p|9S, ()4 Ogden Wheeler 

Town iiK'ftiiiK^ ill N'arick i'loni 1836 to 1855, were usually held alterna- 
tely at lohn V. Manning's at the west end. ami Samuel Lerch's on Military 
Lot !;4 at the Northeast end. Since 1856, town meetings alternate between 
liearytown and Romulus village. 1-rom 1842 to 1855, general elections were 
held in two election districts, at Manning's and Ferch's and since 1856 at 
Bearytown and Romulus village. 

Al'I'ENDIX I). 
'/'(■(u/irrs /nhir(/i/i^iJiid Wood Lists. 
The following will exhibit a true co[iy of the wood and board hiuiid 
during the quarter last past, ending January 21st, 1825, vi/, : 
Mr. J. Flathaway, i cord of wood, ten davs Ixjard. 
Mr! '1". Mann, i cord of wood, 12 days hoard. 
Mr. D. Garrigus, V2 cord wood, 6 days board. 
Mr. A. Baldrtdge, 3 days board, % cord of woo<l. 
Mr. R. Barr, 5 days board, i cord of wood. 
Mr. I). Dev, 12 days board, i cord of woo(L 
Mr. A. Mc'Knight, 3 days board, Vi cord oi wood. 
Mr. S. McMath, 4 days board. 
Mr. E. Beach, 3 days board, '4 cord of wood. 
Mr. Jac. Lowden, i days board, -^4 cord ol wood. 
Mr. James Lowden, 6 days board. 
Mr. A, Fyon, i days board, Yz cord of wood. 
Mr. Markle, i cord of wood, 8 days board. 
Mr. Bargar, i days board, '< cord of wood. 
Mr. Wilcox, 2 days board. 
Mr. Karr, 2 days board, Yz cord of wood. 
Mr. Smith, l days board, Y^ cord of wood. 
Capt. T. Ludlum, K cord of wood, 1 days board. 
Mr. J. Beach. '4 cord of wood. 

Dispute this if vou can. „rT- ■..-t^t-o -v 1 

' R. WEBSTER, leaclier. 

C.pied in 1870, from the original, in possession of Jacob A. Mann, nf 
A'arick, since deceased. 



CENrilKNIAL OP ROMULUS. 



Retui 



,/ Api'ENDIx K. 
>f Klecti^rs. in the town of Romulus, County of Cayui,^a, 1801 



Heads of Fa/iiili( 



John Seeley 

Mahlon ]^ainl)ri(l,ijc. .. 

William Seeley 

Jacob Hathaway 

Thomas Combs 

Haynes Bartlett 

James McKiiiijht 

Alia McMathT 

William Mount 

Peter Ouigley 

William Brewster 

Jesse Brewster 

John Bainbridge ...... 

James Goble 

Michael Baklridtre. . . 

Frederic Kisler 

Eliel Goble 

John FlemiiiLT 

Stephen Miller 

Abner Bainbridge. . . . 

Jonathan Lewis 

William Stottle 

Joseph Ker 

William Bu/.enbark . . 

William Barney 

John Tindall 

Joseph Hunt 

Silas Beers 

James Seeley 

Timothy Janes , 

Phineas Tuthill 

Jonas Seeley 

Charles Stewart , 

David Price 

Benjamin Sutton 

Asa Smith 

Walter Watrus 

James Watrus 

Wilham Shattuck 

Eliphalet Shattuck . . . 

John Stone 

James Wiley 

William Blain 

Alexander Brown .... 
Jonathan Baitman ... . 



Electors 
/' sessedofFrce 
holds of the val- 
ue of £100. 



Electors 
possessed of Eree 
holds of the 7<al- 
ue of £20, and 
under £/oo. 



Electors 
not possessed of 
Freeholds, but 
who refit tene- 
mfsyj-ly value 
of 40 shillings. 



CENTENNIAL OF RDMULUS. 



x*^^ 



James Bailey 

Abner Bailey 

Jonathan Bailey 

Thomas Burgess 

Benjamin Burgess 

James Woodruff , 

William Osborn 

William W. Dekay. . . . 
Joshua Hallock.. . .. 

Samuel Bailey 

Andrew Dunnet 

George Wilkin 

John Halbert... 

James King 

Francis Antony 

Thomas Parkins . . . 

Israel Harris 

Peter Huff 

David Depue 

Bastian Williams 

Michael \'an Cort 

Jesse Kiljiatrick 

Walter Ker 

loseph Kinton 

Josei)h Wicoff 

|()hn Terhune 

"Albert Earl i 

William Huff j 

William Hood ! 

John Hood 

(ieorge Hood 

Andrew Hood 

Joseph Haynes 

John Alexander 

lames Alexander j 

"Robert White | 

John Williams 

Ikirna Swarthout 

John Swarthout . - 

David Wisner 

Elijah Kinne 

Ephraim Kinne 

Nat Swarthout 

Anthony Swarthout 

Joseph Lewis 

Jeremiah Decker 

Reuben Denton 

Michael Mead 

Samuel Reed 

/ebedee Stout 

John Sage 

Samuel Waldron . . . 

Francis Hageruum 

John Hagerman 

Daniel Mathews 

Abel Baker 



6ii>1< 



CETvTK 



AL OF ROMULUS. 



Peter Huff, Jr.... 

lames Brown. .. • ^ 

Andrew McKiugbt.. ■ ^ 

James Barr ^ 

Henry Beers i ^ 

Gabriel Beach . ^ 

Samuel Easton 

losiah Easton 

Ezekiel Beadi 

Jabez Beach 

Jonas Beach ^ 

"Isaac Hathaway -■' 

Joseph Hathaway 

"Roljert Wilson • 

George Waldortf . • • • 
Abraham WaUlovft . . 

James Lamb 

Benjamin Lemmon.... 

John Lacy 

"John Hathaway 

"Edward Spaldmg . • • 
James Cooly • • • 

Asa Whitehead 

Henry Gray 

Thomas Lowden 

Isaias Lewis 

George Lamb 

John Sinclear 

"David Lamb • 

Charles Woodruff 

Sears Beach 

Beniamin Dey 

Jacob Lowden 

Peter Basum • • • 

Anthony VanAkm... 

John Arnold 

Peter Stottle 

George Stottle . . • • 

Lewis Laf ever 

lose])h Yerkes 

William Purdy 

Tliomas Purdy 

Charles Dickerson . 

lames Merit 

"John Waldron 

John Birt 

Thomas Blam 

George Dewy 

Phdip Bunn. 

John Whitney 

Samuel W^iitney ■ ■ • 

Amos Denton ■ 

Stephen Sherwood 

Elijah Chard 

Wilham Rowley. . 
Joseph Barber.. .. 



CENTENNIAL OF KOMULUS. 



\(^r 





i 
1 

I 
1 




' 






John Boice, Jr 

Jacob Boice 


1 


Joshua Tuthill 


I 


Duiilap 

Adonijah Osborn 

Andrew Smith 


I 


David Burroughs 

Abel Frisbie 

Isaac Johnson 

Samuel Thurstin 


1 


Samuel Faltcenburu; 


I 




James Ker. . : 

Sam 1 Ker . . 


■ 




I 


Benjamin IJadgley 

John Sayre. 


I 




1 



I, John Savre, do certify this Census to be true, according to the best of 
my knowledge and belief. 

October 20th, i8o I. JOHN SAVRF.. 

Xo'i'i: — The si)clling of names lierein, conforms to the original list. 



AiM'Kxnix F. 

"The Rev. Diedrich Willers, 1). I)., (bed at his residence, in tlie town 
of \'arick, Seneca County, N. \'., on Sunday, May i^tli, 1883, in tlie 86th 
year of his age. 

He was born at Walle, near liremen, Germany, February 6, i/qS. He 
entered the army of Hanover, September, 1814, and served in the (Jerman 
division of the allied army for nearly five years; was an active [larticipaut 
in the memorable battle of Waterloo, Belgium, June 16, 17, and 18, 1815, 
with the allied army, under the Duke of Wellington. 

In this battle, the company of which he was a member, consisting ot 
120 men, was reduced to 12 privates and two non-commissioned officers, 
and the battalion of 400 men, to less than 80 survivors. 

He continued with the allied forces, as army of occui)ation in France, 
for three years, after the downfall of Bonaparte, when he was honoralily 
discharged and awarded a silver medal in recognition of his military 
services. 

He arrived m the United States in November 1819, and engaged in 
school teaching, while preparing for the ministry, and so thorough was his 
apiilication, that he was ordained to the ministry in 1821. 



^^"^^ CENTfiNNIAI OF ROMULUS. 



He was settled in that year, a? pastor of the German Reformed Church, 
at the hamlet of Bearytown, in central Seneca County, and ministered to 
that people, for a consecutive period of sixty years and eight months, and 
until January ist, 1882, when his resignation took effect, rendered necessary 
hy growing infirmities. 

While ministering to his own people, he served also, at different pe- 
riods at six other preaching points in the county, and at seven or eight other 
points, in Tompkins, Cayuga, Wayne, Livingston and Niagara Counties, 
performing a large proportion of the travel, incident to so extended a field 
of labor, on horseback, especially during the first half of his ministry. 

During this ministry, he preached about 5,800 regular Sunday dis- 
courses, almost equally divided between the German and English language, 
})esides many funeral and special discourses, and performed a large amount 
of ministerial labor, in the solemnization of marriages, and m the adminis- 
tration of the rites of baptism and confirmation. 

He received the degree of Doctor of Divinity from FrankHii Marshall 
College, at Lancaster, Pa." George S. Conovek, 

In General John Sullivan's Indian Expedition, State puljlication, of 1887. 
Al'l'ENDlX G. 

Diedrich Willers, Jr., son of Rev. Dr. Diedrich and Frances Wiilers, 
was born in Varick, N. Y., Nov. 3, 1833. He was educated prin(i|ially in 
the District school and under the direction of his father. 

In his youth he taught school for several years, and afterwards gradu- 
ated as a student-at-law, at the Albany Law Lhiiversity. 

He was elected Supervisor of V'arick, in 1865, and 1866. He had also 
served as Private Secretary to Governor Horatio Seymour in 1864. His 
service in the office of the Secretary of State at Albany, at different periods, 
covered six years as a clerk, eight years as Deputy, and two years as Sec- 
retary of State, to which office he was elected at the State election in Nov. 
1873.' 

In November 1877, he was elected Member of Assembly for Seneca 
County, and served as such in the Legislature of 1878. 

J. WiLFORiJ Jacks, Chairman of Executive Connnittee. 



CENTENNIAL OF ROMULUS. 



•^^^f^Gf 



Calvin Willers, son of Rev. Dr. Diedrich and Frances Willers, was 
horn in Varick, Dec. q, i.S^o. He received his education in the public and 
academic schools, and in his youth taught for a iwniber of years in District 
schools of the county. In the spring of 1867, he was elected Supervisor of 
Varick, and was re-elected without opposition in 1868. In November 1868, 
he was elected County Clerk of Seneca County, and served a full term of 
three years as such, at Ovid. 

In January, 1874, he entered niton tlie duties of Chief Clerk, in the 
office of the Secretary of State ;it Albany, winch |)osition he held up to the 
time of his death, Ai)ril 9, 1875. 

During the latter years of his life he pursued the study of law, and had 
he lived, would have been admitted to the Bar, at the session of court in 
the month following his death. 

Henjamin Dey, referred to, (page 28), as one of the earliest settlers in 
X'arick, was born at Preakness, New Jersey, Dec. 11, 1761. He died at his 
home on Military Lot 49, March 34, 1822, and was buried in a grave on his 
farm. 

The parents of .\razina Cone Fleming, were married Nov. 26, 1793, 
(see i)ages 30 and 31 I. Mrs. Fleming on the 9th of October, 1894, reached 
her one hundredth birthday, and is still living at the time of publication 
liereof, Nov. 1894. 



Distorical Hbbress 



Delipereb b^ Diebricb Millers, of IDarlcFi, 
3unc 13, 1894, at tbe 



Centennial Celebration 



Qt tbe ©fecial ©rganisation of tbe ^own of 
1RomulU0, 1R. E 



^ ^r^-^^ a9<'- 



6 Vi 






4 

"« 



InHllliJi 




11:11 

014 224 352 



m 



